Djokovic off to winning start, Venus battles past Vekic
US player Venus Williams returns against Croatia's Donna Vekic during their women's singles first round match on the first day of the 2016 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 27, 2016. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
- Williams is the oldest woman in the main draw of this year's tournament and first won Wimbledon in 2000 when Vekic was just four.
- Venus hasn't won a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2008 and it is seven years since her last major final.
LONDON
World number one Novak Djokovic got his campaign for a third successive Wimbledon title off to a winning start with a 6-0, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 victory over Britain's James Ward on Monday.
The 29-year-old Serb, the holder of 12 Grand Slams after clinching a first French Open earlier this month, is on target for the tennis record books.
A fourth Wimbledon title would make him just the second man since Don Budge in 1938 to win five straight majors.
It would also put him three-quarters of the way to becoming the first since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete the calendar Grand Slam.
Top seed Djokovic, who holds all four majors, goes on to face France's Adrian Mannarino for a place in the last 32.
Meanwhile, Venus Williams battled into the Wimbledon second round as the five-time champion beat Croatian teenager Donna Vekic 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 on Monday.
Williams is the oldest woman in the main draw of this year's tournament and first won Wimbledon in 2000 when Vekic was just four.
The 36-year-old's vast experience eventually proved decisive as she saw off the 19-year-old in a hard-fought clash lasting one hour and 52 minutes on Court One.
World number eight Williams will play Greek qualifier Maria Sakkari for a place in the third round.
Venus hasn't won a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2008 and it is seven years since her last major final, a loss to sister Serena in the Wimbledon title match.
DYED RED WEAVING
On her 19th appearance at Wimbledon, where she has made the final eight times, Williams reached a record-equalling 71 appearances in the main draw of Grand Slams in the Open era.
She marked the occasion by strolling onto Court modelling an eye-catching haircut featuring dyed red weaving.
Williams looked in trouble when Vekic, ranked 112th, broke for a 6-5 lead in the first set.
But Williams made a defiant recovery, staving off two set points to force a tie-break which she won in emphatic fashion.
Vekic, watched by boyfriend and former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka, matched Venus for long periods but fell short on the crucial points as Williams broke late in the second set to seal her 77th Wimbledon match victory.
