Day 2 at Wimbledon was full of action as the first round came to a close on Tuesday. Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner advanced smoothly to the second round, while Coco Gauff faced an early exit after being knocked out of the tournament. In fact, Coco Gauff wasn’t the only top player to suffer an early exit from the grass court Grand Slam. Day 2 of Wimbledon also marked an emotional moment as two-time champion Petra Kvitova bid also bid goodbye to Wimbledon in a heartbreaking defeat. The day was filled with surprises and upsets. Here’s a full recap of everything that went down on Day 2 of the Wimbledon Championships:
Novak Djokovic defeats Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-7, 6-2, 6-2
What started as an easy match for Novak Djokovic turned into a real test. After dominating the first set, Djokovic had to push through both a determined opponent and some health issues. Despite struggling for about 45 minutes, possibly due to a stomach problem, he managed to recover and finish strong. With just 30 minutes left before the curfew, he raced through his final service game.
It is worth noting here that this win marks Djokovic’ 20th first-round victory in 20 appearances at Wimbledon. He will now face Britain’s Dan Evans in the next round.
After the match, Djokovic thanked the crowd for staying late and said he always enjoys playing on this court, even though the second set was tough. “I think I served very well today and saved break points in the fourth set. Lots of positives to take into the next round. Do I think I can win? I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I had a chance,” Djokovic said. Looking ahead, he said there are many strong players in the tournament, and while the road won’t be easy, he believes in his chances—otherwise, he wouldn’t be here.
World No. 2 Gauff knocked out of Wimbledon
World No. 2 Coco Gauff made a shocking early exit from Wimbledon on Tuesday after losing to Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska 7-6, 6-1 in the first round. Fresh off her French Open win, the 21-year-old American came into the tournament full of confidence. But on the Centre Court, she seemed off her game and never quite settled in. After losing a close first set in a tiebreak, Gauff struggled in the second set, allowing Yastremska, who is ranked 42 in the world, to take control and close out the match quickly.
This was Gauff’s earliest exit at a Grand Slam since she lost in the first round at Wimbledon last year. After the match, she shared that the quick switch from clay to grass, along with everything that followed her big win in Paris, left her feeling mentally and physically exhausted. She said she didn’t get enough time to both enjoy her French Open victory and prepare properly for Wimbledon. “”It’s the first time experiencing this – coming off a big win and then playing Wimbledon. I learned a lot about what I would and wouldn’t do again,” she said.
Jannik Sinner beats Luca Nardi 6-4, 6-3, 6-0
No.1 seed Jannik Sinner had a strong start at Wimbledon, beating fellow Italian Luca Nardi in straight sets. The first set was close, but Sinner managed to break late and take the lead. After that, he controlled the match easily. British players Dan Evans and Jack Pinnington Jones also moved into the next round, along with American Taylor Fritz. Sinner will face Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic in the second round.
Jack Draper eases into second round as Baez retires injured
Jack Draper had an easy path to the second round at Wimbledon after his opponent, Sebastian Baez, was forced to retire due to injury. The Argentine player seemed to hurt his right leg after slipping early in the second set and needed medical attention twice. With Draper leading 6-2, 6-2, 2-1, Baez decided to stop the match.
Draper was in charge right from the start on Court One, and although the match ended quickly in the warm conditions, the 23-year-old admitted, “I wanted to play a bit longer in all honesty.”
Top player Alexander Zverev’s shocking exit
Alexander Zverev, one of the top players at Wimbledon, made a surprising exit after losing to France’s Arthur Rinderknech in a five-set thriller: 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4. This defeat makes Zverev, the third seed, the biggest name to be knocked out of the tournament so far.
Zverev, 28, has faced controversy in recent years due to two domestic abuse allegations, which he has denied. After the loss, he opened up about struggling mentally, saying he often feels lonely both on and off the court. He shared that he’s been having a hard time emotionally and is finding it difficult to enjoy life, even when he’s winning matches. He admitted this might be the first time he’s seriously considering therapy to deal with what he’s going through.
Meanwhile, Rinderknech celebrated the biggest win of his career by falling face-first on the grass in joy after hitting a perfect backhand to seal the match. He showed no signs of nerves, even against a higher-ranked and more experienced opponent.
Zverev said he no longer feels the excitement or motivation he used to, even during recent wins in tournaments like Stuttgart and Halle. He described feeling empty and said the joy he once got from tennis and life in general just isn’t there for him right now.
Wimbledon of upsets
Eight of the top 10 seeded players in both the men’s and women’s events have been knocked out in the first round, which is more than ever before in the open era. Alexander Zverev and Lorenzo Musetti both were sent home on Tuesday, following Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune, who lost the previous day. On the women’s side, as mentioned above, big names like Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Zheng Qinwen, and Paula Badosa were also eliminated.