Wimbledon 2018 Aussie update day one: John Millman saves Australia as Roger Federer and Serena Williams make winning starts

Angus Reid

Wimbledon 2018 Aussie update day one: John Millman saves Australia as Roger Federer and Serena Williams make winning starts image

Our Australian contingent at Wimbledon hasn't made the best of starts to the grass-court Grand Slam, with just one of our five players progressing through the first day.

John Millman was the only Aussie to win his first-round match on day one, as he came back from a set down to win 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 7-5 6-2 over Italy’s Stefano Travaglia.

Jordan Thompson, Jason Kubler, John-Patrick Smith and Ajla Tomljanovic were all knocked out on the opening day of play.

Roger Federer and Serena Williams came through their first-round matches relatively unscathed, with neither legend dropping a set.

MORE: Wimbledon 2018: Milos Raonic defeats Liam Broady in straight sets

The defending men's champion was beginning his 20th consecutive Wimbledon campaign and taking on Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic.

The Swiss Maestro didn't disappoint, playing some great tennis on his way to a 6-1 6-3 6-4 win. It was the second year in a row that the Fed Express has sent Lajovic packing.

Williams was coming into her first match at Wimbledon since 2016, and was taking on Holland’s Arantxa Rus.

The 25th seed looked untroubled in her 7-5 6-3 victory, and despite her unflattering ranking of 181, Williams is yet again a force to be reckoned with.

29-year-old Millman struggled in the first set against Travaglia, but went to another level in the second and claimed the next three sets.

The Aussie will now face 2016 finalist Milos Raonic in the second round.

Jason Kubler took a set off Argentine Guido Pella, but ultimately went down 6-4 7-5 4-6 7-6 (3). Jordan Thompson lost to American star Sam Querrey in straight-sets, 6-2 6-4 6-3, while John-Patrick Smith lost to Italian veteran Andreas Seppi 6-2 6-4 6-1.

Our only Aussie female to play on the opening day was Ajla Tomljanovi, who went down 6-4 6-2 to U.S. hopeful Madison Keys.

Last year's men's runner-up Marin Cilic defeated Yoshihito Nishioka 6-1 6-4 6-4, while Stan Wawrinka caused the earliest upset of the tournament, beating sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov 1-6 7-6 (3) 7-6 (5) 6-4.
 

 

 

Angus Reid

Angus Reid Photo