LONDON: Novak Djokovic overcame an early scare before getting his bid for a sixth Wimbledon and record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title off to a winning start on Monday.
Meanwhile, rain brought havoc to the schedule, one year after the tournament was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Defending champion and world number one Djokovic, looking to become just the third man in history to complete a calendar Grand Slam, claimed a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win over Britain’s 253rd-ranked Jack Draper.
However, the 34-year-old Serb struggled on the slippery Center Court surface with the roof closed above it due to the rain.
Left-handed Draper, playing just his fifth match on the main tour, saved seven of seven break points in the opener to stun the top seed.
But Djokovic soon snuffed out any danger of him becoming only the third defending champion to lose in the first round, by sweeping through the remainder of the tie.
He finished with an impressive 25 aces and 47 winners as his 19-year-old opponent, who grew up just six miles (9.5km) from the All England Club, wilted.
“He’s a youngster and I hadn’t seen him play too much prior to Queen’s and he played pretty well, won matches against high-ranked players,” said Djokovic.
“Walking onto Wimbledon Center Court for the first time, he’s done extremely well.”
Next up for Djokovic will be either former runner-up Kevin Anderson or Chilean qualifier Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera.
It was the 34-year-old Djokovic’s first match on the court since his epic five-set win over Roger Federer in the 2019 final, the longest title match in tournament history and where he saved two championship points.
His match on Monday was preceded by a standing ovation for Professor Sarah Gilbert, one of the key scientists behind the Oxford Asra-Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine who was a special guest in the Royal Box.
Wimbledon looks very different with Covid-19 protocols in place and a 50 percent capacity until finals day, but one familiar feature was the summer rain.
Play on the outside courts started five hours late with 16 of the day’s scheduled 64 matches canceled until Tuesday.
Belarus second seed Aryna Sabalenka had the honor of being the first winner at the tournament in two years when she downed Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu 6-1, 6-4 under the roof of Court One.
Sabalenka fired 48 winners past Niculescu.
Elsewhere on Monday, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, promoted to third seed in the absence of Rafael Nadal, has a tough opener against 57th-ranked Frances Tiafoe of the United States.
Tiafoe won a second-tier grass court Challenger event in Nottingham this month before making the quarter-finals at Queen’s Club.
Tsitsipas, who lost a five-set final to Djokovic at the French Open two weeks ago, made the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2018.
However, he was a first-round loser two years ago and comes into Wimbledon with just 15 matches on grass in his career.
Two-time champion Andy Murray is on Center Court against Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili, a semifinalist in Halle.
Murray, now ranked at 118, is playing his first singles match at Wimbledon since 2017 after a lengthy battle with hip and groin injuries.
Petra Kvitova, the 2011 and 2014 champion, starts against former US Open winner Sloane Stephens.
Players are confined to a hotel ‘bubble’ in central London this year.
However, there have already been two virus-related withdrawals.
Britain’s Johanna Konta was identified as a close contact of a positive coronavirus case and will have to self-isolate.
The world number 31, a semifinalist at the tournament in 2017, had been drawn to face Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
The 30-year-old’s place will be taken by 123rd-ranked lucky loser Wang Yafan of China.
On Saturday, former men’s doubles champion Frederik Nielsen was forced to withdraw after also being identified as a close contact.
“This is not unexpected,” said All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton.
“It’s terribly sad for the players but it’s something we plan for. We have protocols in place.”
Djokovic slides to victory as Wimbledon makes soggy return
https://arab.news/y4a3m
Djokovic slides to victory as Wimbledon makes soggy return
- The 34-year-old Serb struggled on the slippery Centre Court surface with the roof closed above it due to the rain
- He finished with an impressive 25 aces and 47 winners
Saudi rally driver sets her sights on the fast lane
- With podium finishes at home and ambitions abroad, Mashael Al-Saad is ready for the next race
- Rally Jameel remained a defining chapter in Al-Saad’s journey, exposing her to the demands of desert racing and pushing her beyond familiar limits
MAKKAH: What began as a chance encounter with motorsport has evolved into a growing rallying career for Saudi driver Mashael Al-Saad.
With a growing list of domestic achievements and ambitions that extend beyond the Kingdom’s borders, Al-Saad is carving out her place in a discipline defined by endurance, precision and mental resilience.
Her first exposure to rally driving came as she emceed the second Rally Jameel in 2023, the region’s first women-only navigational rally.
Witnessing the participants’ determination and competitiveness sparked Al-Saad’s curiosity about motorsport and encouraged her to explore the possibility of competing herself.
A recommendation from Saudi rally driver Abdullah Bakhashab opened the door to her first professional opportunity with Lexus, marking the start of her rally career during the fourth Rally Jameel in 2024.
That quickly translated into results. As a Lexus team driver, Al-Saad secured first place in her category and sixth overall among more than 40 participants.
Rally Jameel remained a defining chapter in her journey, exposing her to the demands of desert racing and pushing her beyond familiar limits. She continued to compete in subsequent editions, later earning second place overall and first in her category, before taking part in events at other race circuits across Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East and North Africa region.
Despite entering a traditionally male-dominated sport, Al-Saad says she did not perceive her path as a challenging one.
Instead, she highlights the extensive support she received on multiple fronts, from Saudi Arabia’s leadership and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation to corporate backing from Lexus.
She also credits her family, particularly her mother, for playing a vital role in shaping her confidence and determination long before she entered competitive racing.
Among her domestic successes, Al-Saad considers her Time Attack victory in Jeddah last year as one of the most significant milestones of her career. One of her earliest races, it saw her progress steadily to first place in the Women’s Cup, reinforcing her belief in her own capabilities.
Another pivotal moment came in 2024, during the Racing Hill Climb, where she raced on mountainous terrain for the first time in Taif. The unfamiliar conditions tested her technical skills and adaptability, ultimately accelerating her development as a driver.
Competing at a high level has reshaped Al-Saad both on and off the track. Racing alongside experienced champions has, she says, been both humbling and motivating.
Over time, she has developed a deeper understanding of the technical side of motorsport, spending increasing amounts of time studying vehicle dynamics and kinematics to better synchronize her driving style with the car. Personally, the sport has made her more confident in facing uncertainty, strengthening her ability to approach new challenges with focus rather than fear.
Al-Saad is often viewed as a role model for Saudi women entering motorsport, something which makes her feel humble. She says she would be honored to inspire just one woman but believes role models exist across all levels of the industry. For her, progress comes from observing the strengths of others and applying those lessons to one’s own journey — a philosophy she sees as relevant far beyond motorsports.
Managing pressure and risk is an integral part of rallying, and Al-Saad relies on preparation and composure to navigate intense stages. Planning ahead helps her mitigate challenges, while calm decision-making becomes crucial when conditions change unexpectedly.
In a sport where every second counts, she emphasizes that clarity and decisiveness often make the difference between success and setback.
Looking ahead, Al-Saad has set her sights firmly on international competition. She aims to compete in the Middle East Rally Championship and hopes one day to line up at the start of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
She is also eager to explore other racing formats, viewing the learning process itself as one of the most rewarding aspects of her career.
To young Saudi women who aspire to follow a similar path but hesitate because they fear failing, Al-Saad offers a simple word of advice — start.
She believes progress begins with the first step, learning through experience and allowing confidence to grow over time.
In a rapidly evolving motorsports scene, her journey stands as a reflection of what is increasingly possible in Saudi Arabia — both on the road and beyond it.
