Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic walked off the center court at Wimbledon in a similar fashion following their abbreviated matches that saw their opponents retire due to injuries. The duo’s win ensured that the top 4 seeds in the men’s draw are safely headed to the second round.
According to CBS Sports, the third-seeded Federer recorded his 85th career win in Wimbledon when his first round opponent, the world number 84 Alexandr Dolgopolov, quit on his chair in the second set. The Swiss Maestro was leading 6-3, 3-0 when Dolgopolov surrendered the match. Federer’s win also allowed him to surpass the American Jimmy Connors for the most number of wins in Wimbledon. Federer currently has an 85-11 record, with seven titles at the All England Club to his name.
Roger Federer, the former world number 1, will face Dusan Lajovic of Serbia in the second round. Lajovic advanced to the second round by defeating Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Novak Djokovic, the second seed in this year’s edition of Wimbledon, needed just 40 minutes to advance to the second round. The Serbian, a three-time champion at Wimbledon, was leading 6-3, 2-0 when his opponent, Martin Klizan of Slovakia retired because of an injury. The current world number 4 Djokovic will face 22-year-old Adam Pavlasek of the Czech Republic. The world number 136 Pavlasek earned the right to challenge Djokovic by defeating the world number 74 American Ernesto Escobedo.
The current world number 4 Djokovic will face 22-year-old Adam Pavlasek of the Czech Republic. The world number 136 Pavlasek earned the right to challenge Djokovic by defeating the world number 74 American Ernesto Escobedo, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1.
Joining Federer and Djokovic in the second round are the other Day 2 winners including Juan Martin del Potro, Gael Monfils, Milos Raonic, Radu Albot, Steve Darcis, Mikhail Kukushkin, David Ferrer, Mikhail Youzhny, Kyle Edmund, Ernests Gulbis, and Mischa Zverev. World number 1 and tournament top seed Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal are already through the second round following their Day 1 victories yesterday.
Juan Martin del Potro, the Argentine 29th seed, defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia 6-3 3-6 7-6 (2) 6-4. Del Potro will face Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis who won his first round match against Victor Estrella Burgos 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.
Milos Raonic defeated Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (4) in to advance to the second round where he’ll face Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny. Youzhny got through the second round by beating Nicolas Mahut of France 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.
On the women’s draw, tournament top-seed, Angelique Kerber of Germany, beat Irina Falconi of the United States 6-4, 6-4 on center court to advance to the second round. Kerber will meet Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium in the second round. Among the women who’ll be joining Kerber in the second round are second seed Simona Halep of Romania, third-seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, fourth-seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, sixth-seed Johanna Konta of the United Kingdom, and eight-seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia.
[Featured Image by Michael Steele/Getty Images]