Wimbledon: Ons Jabeur downs Bjorklund; Emma Raducanu, Angelique Kerber sail into R2
Jun 28, 2022
London [UK], June 28 : The no. 3 seed Ons Jabeur dropped just four games against qualifier Mirjam Bjorklund in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday.
For the second major in a row, the Tunisian comes in fresh off a title and in hot form, having won in Berlin two weeks ago and ascended to World No.2 this week.
Indeed, against Bjorklund, Jabeur barely put a foot wrong, striking 11 winners to the Swede's three. Jabeur was especially dominant on serve: she conceded only five points behind her first delivery and a measly two behind her second.
Jabeur will face either Rebecca Marino or qualifier Katarzyna Kawa in the second round. While Alison Riske-Amritraj and Maja Chwalinska were other early winners on Day 1.
British No. 1 and No. 10 seed Emma Raducanu was a straight-sets 6-4, 6-4 winner over Alison van Uytvanck on Centre Court in her Wimbledon return.
The British teenager is now 5-0 in her young career in the first round of Grand Slams. It was her first straight-sets win at a major since her US Open championship triumph in September, and perhaps more importantly, her body cooperated.
2018 champion Angelique Kerber of Germany held off a comeback by Kristina Mladenovic of France before notching a 6-0, 7-5 victory and advancing into the second round of Wimbledon. Also on Monday, Kaja Juvan ousted one of this year's top grass-court players, Beatriz Haddad Maia.
In her 51st consecutive Grand Slam main draw appearance, No.15 seed Kerber took just over an hour to collect her 83rd match-win on grass in her career.
Also on Day 1, Kaja Juvan of Slovenia pulled off a significant upset in the first round by defeating No.23 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in just under two hours.
Juvan will next meet Hungary's Dalma Galfi in the second round. Galfi overcame Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in 2 hours and 15 minutes.
