Venue: All England Club Dates: 3-16 July |
Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with comprehensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, BBC Sport mobile app and Red Button. |
Britain’s Jodie Burrage fought back tears after reaching the Wimbledon second round for the first time in her injury-ravaged career.
Wildcard Burrage, 24, beat American Caty McNally 6-1 6-4 in her “biggest battle” yet.
“I’ve been waiting for my run to happen and hopefully this is the start of it,” an emotional Burrage said in her on-court interview.
Fellow Briton Liam Broady also advanced but Harriet Dart and Katie Swan lost.
Britain’s Dan Evans and Jan Choinski are also in action on day one at the All England Club.
Following a rain delay at the All England Club, conditions were tricky with the wind swirling around the courts and world number 108 Burrage coped well with the challenging circumstances.
The British number two reeled off her long list of injuries after the victory, her first ever in a Grand Slam.
“Three ankle surgeries, a fractured knee and stress fractures to the arm and ribs – I can keep going and going,” she said.
But Burrage managed to put those injury troubles behind her to secure an impressive win over McNally, who appeared to be struggling with a knee injury of her own through the match.
Having prepared well on grass with a run to the final of the Nottingham Open, Burrage got off to a flying start, dropping just one game on her way to wrapping up the first set in just 22 minutes.
McNally, ranked number 67 in the world and also going for a maiden appearance in the second round of Wimbledon, came back in the second but Burrage stood her ground to secure the victory on her sixth match point.
Burrage, who had suffered first-round exits in the previous two years at SW19, told spectators “that meant a lot” after she nailed a forehand to seal the win.
Minutes later, Broady became the second Briton to reach the second round with an impressive 6-3 6-1 7-5 victory over France’s world number 74 Constant Lestienne.
The 29-year-old will hope to improve on his run to the third round of last year’s tournament but could face a tough challenge with Norwegian French Open finalist Casper Ruud his next opponent.
Dart struggles in ‘worst match of season’
Earlier on Monday, Dart’s Wimbledon campaign ended with defeat as France’s Diane Parry, ranked 14 places above her opponent, came from behind to edge the home player 6-7 (4-7) 6-0 6-4.
An expectant crowd filled court 12 to watch…
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