Working part time
LONDON — Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic both needed to work only half shifts on Tuesday as each of their opponents retired injured in the first round at Wimbledon.
Federer, seeking an eighth title at the All England club, advanced 6-3, 3-0 when Alexandr Dolgopolov quit with a foot injury. The incident was the fifth retirement on the men's side in less than two days.
The quick victory also produced the 10,000th ace of the Swiss icon's career.
Federer's 85th Wimbledon win gave him sole ownership of first place on the match-list wins list for the event, ahead of Jimmy Connors.
“It feels great to play here; you only play at home a few times a year,” Federer said. “I get unbelievable crowd support. (They) treat me as one of their own. I'm sorry the fans could not see more tennis. But this remains an unbelievable place to play.
“I'm happy to be here. This was my big goal when I lost in the semifinals last year. I wanted to be back uninjured and see how far I can go,” said the 35-year-old title favorite.
Little more than an hour later, three-time champion Djokovic, seeded second, advanced as Slovak Martin Klizan could not go on trailing 6-3, 2-0 with a leg problem. The retirement was the second in less than a week for Klizan. Sixth seed Milos Raonic beat German Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) as the Canadian tries to beat an injury jinx which has plagued much of his career. Eighth seed Dominic Tim defeated Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
German 10th seed Alexander Zverev began with a defeat of Evgeny Donskoy 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. Gael Monfils, the 15th seed, reached the second round over Daniel Brands 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
Former top 10 player Juan Martin del Potro needed seven match points to finally subdue Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.
The Argentine won a 10-minute final game, landing a forehand winner down the line. Del Potro next faces Ernests Gulbis, a winner over Victor Estrella Burgos 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.
Mischa Zverev added to Aussie misery after the opening day retirement of Nick Kyrgios, beating Bernard Tomic 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 a week after losing to his rival on grass.
“I know the way he plays, he's the opposite of, let's say, Rafa on the court with the intensity level between points especially,” Zverev said. “But he knows what to do on the grass court, knows what shots to use.”
Spanish veteran David Ferrer shocked two-time semi-finalist Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
In the women's draw, German top seed Angelique Kerber began her campaign 6-4, 6-4 over qualifier Irina Falconi.
Kerber, 29, starts at the All England club as No. 1 and will likely have to up her performances to retain her position after indifferent form.
A break in the opening game helped her reach 3-0 in the first set against the 247th-ranked Falconi.
A tighter second set also went Kerber's way when Falconi double faulted in the ninth game and the German promptly saw out the match.
“It was a good first match for me,” the winner said. “First rounds in grand slams are always tough, especially for me after losing the opening match in Paris.
Kerber finished runner-up a year ago to Serena Williams, and with Williams not competing while pregnant, it fell to the German to stand-in for the women's champion in the first center court match of the second day.
Eastbourne champion Karolina Pliskova began with a win over Evgeniya Rodina 6-1, 6-1.
Ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska advanced 7-6 (7-3), 6-0 over former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, while Spain's Garbine Muguruza beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 6-4. Australian qualifier Arina Rodionova knocked out 16th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 9-7.
