Sixth-ranked Andrey Rublev experienced an unexpected defeat in the opening round of Wimbledon, with the Russian player’s frustration leading to a dramatic racket smash on his thigh, and ultimate defeat against Francisco Comesana, who celebrated his inaugural triumph on the Tour with scores of 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Rublev previously admitted at the French Open last month that his conduct needed amelioration- a sentiment he reiterated after this match. His behavioural inadequacies are something he recognises need attention. “Clearly, today didn’t match my behaviour in Paris, yet there is still potential to perform better. This isn’t the desired way,” he reflected.
Rublev’s dramatic display became a trending topic over several social media platforms; when pressed about this, he fessed up. “If I were able to vent my frustration on the ground, I wouldn’t have done it. It’s just that we can’t damage the grass, and in the heated moment, I just needed to release my emotions.”
Separately, Novak Djokovic entered the match court somewhat apprehensive about his knee’s response to the grass, but stormed to 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory against 27-year-old Vit Kopriva. Djokovic, a seven-time champion, managed a comfortable win despite barely breaking a sweat.
Sporting a grey brace over his right knee, just over three weeks post his meniscus repair surgery, Djokovic appeared to move well on the court. Although he was cautious not to slide too much while moving rapidly toward his forehand, he was quite satisfied with his performance.
“I’m extremely pleased,” stated Djokovic, before he faces Scottish player Jacob Fearnley in the next round. Fearnley secured his position by defeating Spain’s Alejandro Moro Canas in fairly straight sets. Djokovic said, “I had trepidations about the knee before coming into Wimbledon. I remained uncertain of how it’ll hold up during the match. Today’s game eased my worries about how I felt and played.”
Truthfully, the challenge wasn’t strong enough to push him. The Czech contender, who progressed through the qualifying rounds, had moments of triumph when he managed to unsettle Djokovic, but such occasions were infrequent. Djokovic, currently ranked second globally, will undoubtedly be thrilled with his swift victory, which seemingly came about without issues. If he secures a win this coming Sunday, it will mark his eighth Wimbledon championship, thereby matching the men’s title record currently held by Roger Federer – an added motivation to give the competition his all.
He stated, “I tried my best to concentrate on the game, keeping thoughts about my knee to a minimum. In the past few weeks, my team and I have done everything conceivable to ensure that I could participate here. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have chanced it on any other tournament; I just have a strong affection for Wimbledon.”
Recently, Alexander Zverev, the German fourth seed, has been voicing his confidence about his prospects of winning the title. He suggests that, unusually, the competition could be a wide-open race, a rare occurrence over the past 20 years. Zverev, without breaking a sweat, advanced to the next round with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Spain’s Roberto Carballés Baena.
Shockingly, the sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev was eliminated in the first round. Compelled by frustration, the Russian player aggressively smashed his racket onto his thigh at one point, ultimately losing the match to Francisco Comesana, who was marking his first-ever Tour victory with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (5) score. Rublev had acknowledged last month at the French Open that he needs to manage his behaviour better. Recently, he admitted that he still had much work to do on this aspect. He said, “Improving this is the main challenge. I didn’t behave as badly as I did in Paris today, but there is still room for improvement. This isn’t the right way.”
Hubert Hurkacz, the seventh seed, turned the game around after initially trailing a set, ultimately defeating Radu Albot with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win. Meanwhile, fourteen-seeded Ben Shelton from the United States narrowly beat Italy’s Mattia Bellucci with a 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 score.
The 15th-seeded Holger Rune displayed commendable prowess, defeating Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon with scores of 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. In another thrilling match, France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Pericard, a fortunate reserve, accomplished an impressive 51 aces, and overcame 20th seed Seb Korda in an extended five-set showdown – 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6), 6-7 (4), 6-3. Pericard remarkably managed to save all the 11 potential break points that came his way.