Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer win at Wimbledon after injury retirements
Raonic, Thiem and Zverev brothers also advance
Tuesday 4 July 2017 20:45, UK
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer benefited as their respective opponents retired injured at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
Djokovic was leading 6-4 2-0 before Martin Klizan withdrew, then Federer was 6-3 3-0 ahead when Alexandr Dolgopolov pulled out.
Klizan had been nursing a problem to his left ankle coming into the Grand Slam and required a medical time-out before the second set against three-time champion Djokovic. Klizan called a halt to proceedings after being broken by Djokovic in the second game of the second set after just 40 minutes on court.
World No 2 Djokovic will play Adam Pavlasek in the second round, while Federer will face Dusan Lajovic after less than an hour on his treasured Centre Court.
The seven-time winner and 18-time Grand Slam champion had similar good fortune to Djokovic when experienced opponent Dolgopolov retired after 43 minutes to leave the crowd disappointed at not seeing more from Federer who last won the title in 2012.
Sixth seed Milos Raonic won his first-round clash 7-6 6-2 7-6 against Jan-Lennard Struff as the Canadian looks for a repeat of his run to the Wimbledon final last year.
The big-serving Canadian hit an impressive tally of 55 winners, including 20 aces during the match and will meet Mikhail Youzhny in the next round.
Juan Martin del Potro needed seven match points before beating Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3 3-6 7-5 6-4 in a match that lasted over three hours.
The 2016 Olympic silver medallist is a potential third round opponent for Djokovic.
Spaniard David Ferrer beat 22nd seed Richard Gasquet of France 6-3 6-4 5-7 6-2 to maintain his record of always winning his first-round matches at Wimbledon.
The 35-year-old Ferrer, twice a quarter-finalist, is making his 14th appearance at this year's championships.
Mischa Zverev, and younger brother Alexander, both eased into the second round and remained on course for a possible quarter-final showdown.
Mischa had little trouble in beating Australia's Bernard Tomic 6-4 6-3 6-4 firing 18 aces along the way as he sealed the win without facing a single break point and he was joined by Alexander when the 10th seed was given a slightly tougher work out by Evgeny Donskoy before coming through 6-4 7-6 6-3.
Dominic Thiem, Grigor Dimitrov and Tomas Berdych were among the other seeds to come through tough looking first round matches alter in the day.
The trio are all chasing maiden Grand Slam titles and are in the tier below the big four ready to make their move if the leading contenders slip up.
Berdych, Wimbledon runner-up in 2010, needed four sets to beat France Jeremy Chardy and he will face Ryan Harrison after the American saw off Borna Coric in straight sets.
Thiem has never gone beyond the second round at the All England Club but the eighth seeded Austrian will have high hopes of bettering that after a stellar year so far.
The 23-year-old has lost in the second round in each of the last two years but he was hugely impressive in seeing off Vasek Pospisil 6-4 6-4 6-3 to set up a date with Gilles Simon who beat Nicholas Jarry.
Thirteenth seed Dimitrov has always been at home on the grass having won Junior Wimbledon in 2008 and blitzing Andy Murray on his way to the last four in SW19 in 2014.
He will face Marcos Baghdatis in the next round after a 7-6 6-2 6-2 victory over Argentina's Diego Schwartzman.
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