Key events
Begu comes in, Swan tries to pass her, it’s a pretty good effort … but the stretch-volley is excellent. 40-15, then 40-30, and that’s two match points burned. Pressure…
Swan’s had a terrible time with injury – not that long ago, she was unranked, having to fight her way back simply to compete. And she did, so she’s here, sending down a slow second serve … that Begu overhits on return. And 15-0 is soon 40-0, all that pain and suffering leading to this point that she must’ve feared she’d never reach. Can Swan serve it out?
Also going on:
Begu holds so, after a sit-down, Swan will serve for the match.
Next no No 3: Alex de Minaur (5) v Roman Andres Burruchaga.
Next on No 2: Otto Virtanen v Ben Shelton (4).
We’ll do the interviews shortly, but out on 16, Begu is serving to stay in the match against Swann, down 4-6 3-5.
Tyra Grant beats Katie Boulter 6-4 6-2
There’s no other way to slice it: that was a hiding, and the biggest win of Grant’s career; I cn’t wait to see how she does from here. Boulter, meanwhile, who beat Rybakina at Queen’s, will be so disappointed, but she’ll know she didn’t turn up today. Next for Grant: Gibson or Bouzkova, Bouzkova currently leading 6-1 1-3.
Amanda Anisimova (6) beats Lina Gjorcheska 6-3 6-2
A domineering performance from the beaten finalist in last year’s competition – and US Open. She belongs at this level and she knows it; though her season hasn’t gone as she’s have hoped, do not sleep on her here. Next for her: Kenin or Marcinko, Kenin currently leading 7-6.
Our top two matches look and feel almost over: Anisimova is serving for the match against Gjorcheska at 6-3 5-2, while Boulter is now down a set and a double-break at 4-6 2-5, the 18-year-old qualifier Grant about to serve for the match.
So I’m already watching Anisimova, and Boulter; to that, I’m going to add Paolini and Swan.
Anisimova is almost into round two, up 6-3 5-1 on Gjorcheska; Boulter, bidding to be the first Brit to win a match at this year’s tournament, trails Grant 4-6 2-4; Montgomery leads Paolini 6-0 1-3; Keys and Day are playing a first-set tiebreak; Sakkari leads Tauson 6-3 4-3 with a break; Majchrzak leads Tabilo 6-3 3-4; and in other, better Brit news, Wendelken leads Royer 6-4 1-2 and Swan leads Begu 6-4 3-2 with a break
Righto, let’s begin with some latest scores, then we’ll talk about where eyes are best allocated…
Preamble
Wotcha one and all and welcome to Wimbledon 2026 – day two!
As you’d expect, we’ve a faintly daunting and thoroughly thrilling banquet of tennis awaiting us today, so let’s dig right in.
Early doors, last year’s double-bagelled finalist, Amanda Anisimova, gets herself and that work-of-art backhand going, with Katie Boulter also up first. Others in action are Jasmine Paolini, Madison Keys and Donna Vekic, while Maria Sakkari’s match with Clara Tauson has the potential to be a highlight.
Then, when No 1 gets going, Taylor Fritz takes on Dusan Lajovic – it was meant to be the bone-bruised Jack Draper – while on Centre, Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, meets doubles specialist, Taylor Townsend.
But it’s second on No 1 that really looks like the match of the day, Elena Rybakina, a former winner and this year’s second-favourite, drawn against Loïs Boisson, surprise semi-finalist in last year’s French Open.
Then, if to that, we add Alexander Zverev’s first appearance, along with those of Ben Shelton, Eline Svitolina, Alex de Minaur, Marta Kostyuk and the in-form Jakub Mensik, we know we’re flying – but of course that’s not the size of it. Jacob Fearnley meets Alex Michelsen in a match that has five-set epic written all over it; the surging Arthur Fils returns after injury; Griggzy Dimitrov, so unlucky to injure himself last year when two sets up against Jannik Sinner is back; Flavio Cobolli meets Mariano Navone; and No 1 finishes for the day with an aesthete’s banger, the great Stan Wawrinka beginning his final campaign against Mario Berrettini.
We have, though, kept the best till last: the Queen returning to her palace! Yup, four years since her last appearance, Serena Williams, the seven-times champion and greatest of all time, is back at the age of … 44 – ! – and will close out the action on Centre, facing Maya Joint for a place in round
Or, put another way, of all the things going on in the world today, the most exciting, the most affirming and the most inspirational is coming right up – at SW19 and in these pages. This is going to be very, very special. Here we go!
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