Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek kicked off Wimbledon with impressive straight-set victories on Monday, despite a rain delay that interrupted the matches.
Djokovic, who already claimed victory at the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June, is now aiming for the elusive calendar-year Grand Slam in men's tennis—a feat not achieved since 1969.
In 2021, he narrowly missed the milestone by losing in the final of the U.S. Open. With a fifth consecutive title at the All England Club within reach, Djokovic has the opportunity to equal men's records for most titles won at Wimbledon and overall.
His recent triumph at Roland Garros secured Djokovic his 23rd Grand Slam title, surpassing Rafael Nadal's record.
In his opening match at Wimbledon, the No. 2 seed defeated Pedro Cachin 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (4) after a rain delay that lasted over an hour. The grass was dried using leaf blowers, and Djokovic even used a towel to address wet spots on the court.
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek, who has four major titles to her name but hasn't advanced past the fourth round at Wimbledon, cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory against Zhu Lin of China on No. 1 Court. The match was briefly paused due to rain, but the roof was closed, allowing Swiatek to secure the win by winning the final two games.
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