Wimbledon 2015: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Petra Kvitova sail into second round
London: On a day when it looked all too easy for the champions at the All England Club, golden girls Eugenie Bouchard and Simona Halep bowed out of the tournament.
Bouchard, who reached the Wimbledon final last year, was dumped out in the first round on Tuesday by China’s Duan Ying-Ying, the world number 117. The 6-7 (3), 4-6 defeat against the qualifier was 12th seeded Bouchard’s 12th loss in her last 14 matches and will see her drop out of the world top 20, continuing a wretched year for last year’s poster girl.
Third-seeded Romanian Halep lost 7-5, 4-6, 3-6 to Jana Cepelova of Slovakia.Earlier, defending women’s champion Petra Kvitova and former men’s winners Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all won their first-round matches in straight sets and in rapid-fire fashion.
Of the three, only Nadal lost serve and the big names imposed themselves with ease on Day Two of the grass-court Grand Slam as London basked in warm, sunny conditions.
In keeping with Wimbledon tradition, Kvitova had the honor of playing the first match on Centre Court on the second day as the reigning women’s champion.
The second-seeded Czech wasted no time in reasserting her dominance on her favorite court, overpowering Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-0 in just 35 minutes. Federer, the seven-time men’s champion, followed Kvitova on Centre Court and also made quick work of his opponent.
The second-seeded Swiss needed just 68 minutes to dispatch 88th-ranked Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia 6-1, 6-3, 6-3. Federer, bidding to become the first man to win eight Wimbledon titles, broke five times and never faced a break point. Nadal, the two-time champion, coasted to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on Court 1.
Results:
Men’s singles 1st round: Fabio Fognini (ITA x30) bt Tim Smyczek (USA) 6-4, 6-3, 6-2; Viktor Troicki (SRB x22) bt Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ) 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Rafael Nadal (ESP x10) bt Thomaz Belluci (BRA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x13) bt Gilles Muller (LUX) 7-6 (10/8), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2; Albert Ramos (ESP) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 6-2, 6-2, 3-2 (retd); Aleksandr Dolgopolov (UKR) bt Kyle Edmund (GBR) 7-6 (7/4), 6-1, 6-2; Ivo Karlovic (CRO x23) bt Elias Ymer (SWE) 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2); Andreas Seppi (ITA x25) bt Brydan Klein (GBR) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Facundo Bagnis (ARG) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2; Roberto Bautista (ESP x20) bt Ruben Bemelmans (BEL) 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6); Sam Groth (AUS) bt Jack Sock (USA x31) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; James Duckworth (AUS) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 7-5; Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.
Women’s singles 1st round: Heather Watson (GBR) bt Caroline Garcia (FRA x32) 1-6, 6-3, 8-6; Camila Giorgi (ITA x31) bt Teliana Pereira (BRA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3; Garbie Muguruza (ESP x20) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 6-4, 6-1; Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) bt Mona Barthel (GER) 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-2; Angelique Kerber (GER x10) bt Carina Witthoeft (GER) 6-0, 6-0; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x26) bt Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-3, 6-4; Jana Cepelov (SVK) bt Simona Halep (ROM x3) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3; Ying-Ying Duan (CHN) bt Eugnie Bouchard (CAN x12) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4; Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x13) bt Lucie Hradeck (CZE) 6-3, 6-2; Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) bt Klara Koukalova (CZE) 6-3, 6-4; Casey Dellacqua (AUS) bt Tamira Paszek (AUT) 6-2, 6-2; Elina Svitolina (UKR x17) bt Misaki Doi (JPN) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Jelena Jankovic (SRB x28) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-4, 3-6, 10-8; Kurumi Nara (JPN) bt Magda Linette (POL) 3-6, 6-3, 4-3 - retired; Petra Kvitova (CZE x2) bt Kiki Bertens (NED) 6-1, 6-0
