Djokovic Rolls, as Nishikori Tested in Wimbledon Men’s Openers
Novak Djokovic won his Wimbledon opener on Monday, beating Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the second-round.
The world number one and top-seed Djokovic broke five times in the match, and ripped 12 aces and 36 winners to take the opener in straight sets.
“I thought the return was exceptionally well, good from my side; serving efficiently,” said Djokovic. “Overall a great performance against a quality opponent.”
The Serb will take on Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen in the second round. Nieminen played an epic first-round match against Lleyton Hewitt, outlasting the Australian 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, 11-9 to advance.
It was the final match at Wimbledon for Lleyton Hewitt, who won the tournament in 2002.
“I was always going to leave it out there, everything I had in the tank. I certainly did that,” said Hewitt. “There was a couple of times the match could have gotten away from me at certain stages and I found a way of hanging in there.”
Fifth-seed Kei Nishikori was pushed to the brink by Italian Simone Bolelli, but came out on top, downing Bolelli 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
“I knew it was going to be a tough one because we played long five sets last year here,” said Nishikori. “I knew he’s good on grass. Mentally I was ready, but maybe there were many ups and downs. My serve, and maybe my concentration wasn’t there some moments…But I finished very strong in the end, so very happy to win today.”
Nishikori will meet Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo, who beat Brazil’s Joao Souza 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
French Open champion Stan Wawrinka got his Wimbledon run off to a good start, downing Portugal’s Joao Sousa 6-2, 7-5, 7-6(3) on Monday.
The fourth-seed Wawrinka will play Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic in the second-round. Estrella Burgos knocked off Germany’s Benjamin Becker 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.
American John Isner, seeded 17th, picked up a 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4 straight-set win over Japan’s Go Soeda to advance. Isner displayed his fantastic serve all-match long, firing 38 aces to book his spot in the second-round.
Isner will play Austria’s Matthew Ebden who beat Blaz Rola 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.
A quarterfinalist a year ago, 26th seed Nick Kyrgios kicked off his Wimbledon with a 6-0, 6-2, 7-6(6) victory over Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman on Monday.
The 20-year-old Australian will take in another Argentine in the second-round in Juan Monaco, who downed Germany’s Florian Mayer 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in their first-round match.
Americans Steve Johnson and Denis Kudla made their way into the second-round with five-set wins on Monday.
Johnson outlasted Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko 6-3, 6-7(5), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, while Kudla came back from a two-set deficit to down 28th seed Pablo Cuevas 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Johnson will play the 11th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov in the second round. Dimitrov downed Federico Delbonis 6-3, 6-0, 6-4. Kudla will play Germany’s Alexander Zverev, who edged Terymuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 9-7 in his own five-setter.
Seventh-seed Milos Raonic, ninth-seed Marin Cilic, and 14th seed Kevin Anderson all won their respective opening round matches on Monday.
Below are the rest of Monday’s results from the men’s draw:
â–şPierre-Hugues Herbert d. Hyeon Chung 1-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 10-8
â–ş(27) Bernard Tomic d. Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
â–ş(24) Leonardo Mayer d. Thanasi Kokkinakis 7-6(7), 7-6(3), 6-4
â–şMarcel Grannolers d. Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
â–şMarsel Ilhan d. Jerzy Janowicz 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3
â–şRicardas Berankis d. Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-2, 5-2 (retired)
â–şFernando Verdasco d. Martin Klizan 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-7(5), 13-11
â–ş(32) Dominic Thiem d. Dudi Sela 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
â–şJohn Millman d. (19) Tommy Robredo 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
â–şMarcos Baghdatis d. Donald Young 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4
â–şLiam Broady d. Marinko Matosevic 5-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3
â–ş(16) David Goffin d. Horacio Zeballos 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-1
â–şKenny de Schepper d. John-Patrick Smith 4-6, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-4
â–ş(21) Richard Gasquet d. Luke Saville 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
â–şTommy Haas d. Dusan Lajovic 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
