World No. 2 Novak starts his 24th Grand Slam chase in style as he conquers Argentina’s Pedro Cachin 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4); Serb unhappy with wet surface
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during his match against Argentina’s Pedro Cachin on Day One of Wimbledon at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic helped dry the grass on Wimbledon’s Centre Court with his towel before picking up where he had left off to beat Argentina’s Pedro Cachin 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in his opening match on Monday.
The Serbian second seed was broken in the third game when he double-faulted but hit back immediately to level at 2-2. Djokovic, chasing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon men’s singles title, broke again in the eighth game before serving out for the set.
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The covers were rushed on as soon as the defending champion had wrapped up the set, with rain falling in southwest London.
The roof was closed but there was a lengthy delay featuring multiple inspections by officials and the players. Djokovic, who was clearly unhappy with the slipperiness of the surface, at one stage emerged with a towel, which he used to rub the surface of the court to laughter from the crowd.
90-minute rain delay
Members of the ground staff then used hand-held machines to try to dry the surface in farcical scenes on the world-famous court. The match eventually resumed after a delay of almost 90 minutes, with the Centre Court roof reopened.
Djokovic, seeking to match Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, was unfazed by the delay, breaking in the first game of the second set to establish an iron grip on the match, repeating the feat to seal the set.
Cachin, ranked 68th, dug deep in the third set, with neither player able to force a break in the early evening sunshine. Djokovic was immediately on top in the tie-break, surging into a 6-2 lead and he wrapped up the match when Cachin netted.
The 36-year-old Serbian is chasing the first calendar Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969 after winning the Australian Open and French Open this year.
Iga Swiatek
Swiatek beats Zhu Lin
Meanwhile, World No. 1 Iga Swiatek racked up the first five games on her way to sweeping past China’s Zhu Lin to reach the Wimbledon second round on Monday.
Reigning US Open and French Open champion Swiatek came through 6-1, 6-3 against her 34th-ranked opponent. Top seed Swiatek, who has yet to progress beyond the fourth round at the All England Club, will face either Martina Trevisan of Italy or Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo for a place in the last 32.
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