Wimbledon 2023 RECAP: Andy Murray and Cam Norrie cruise into second round as Dan Evans crashes out

That just about brings a close to our coverage of Day Two at Wimbledon, but why not take a look at some of the stories of the day before you go.

Andy Murray cruised past Ryan Peniston to reach the second round in straight sets, while Brit favourite Cam Norrie saw off Tomas Machac's challenge on Court One.

Dan Evans was unable to produce a miracle as he and Quentin Halys returned following Monday's postponement due to bad light, with the Englishman failing to recover from the two-set deficit suffered yesterday.

Meanwhile, Wimbledon legend Roger Federer was among the spectators at Centre Court - watching former opponent Murray triumph over Peniston.

Read Mail Sport's top Wimbledon stories below...

Evans is knocked out of Wimbledon by Halys after an uncharacteristically poor service game from the Brit.

He gifted Halys a match point with a double fault - and the Frenchman needed no second invitation, coolly returning Evans' serve to make the second round.

Stay tuned for the report from Wimbledon.

Evans continues to struggle with Halys' serve and can only muster a point in reply against the Frenchman, who goes within a game of victory after holding his serve.

He's been exceptional with his serve this set but he can't afford to blink now - a break, and it's all over for the Brit...

Where was this yesterday? It's yet another dominant service game from the Brit.

Evans draws the set to 4-4 with another impressive game to love.

The crowd roars as Evans earns a vital break point, but his baseline shot goes agonisingly too far and brings up deuce.

Thanks to a slice of good fortune, Halys gains advantage as his dropshot clips over the net and the Frenchman closes out the game with aplomb.

Evans gives up his first points of the set against serve, as Halys fights back to 40-30 after conceding the first three points of the game.

But the Brit keeps his composure to fire an exceptional forearm past his opponent to win the game, taking the fourth set to three games a piece.

Despite losing his first point to Evans, Halys fights back to claim four points on the bounce and hold his serve. Neither player is getting close to a break on Centre Court...

A dominant Evans continues to hold his serve, taking his second successive game to love against Halys.

Halys soars to 40-0 and looks to win his service game unchallenged once again, but Evans forces a wayward shot from the Frenchman to grab a foothold. 

The server makes a mistake again as he fires a volley into the net - and then delivers a double fault to bring the score to deuce.

Despite Evans' efforts, Halys keeps his cool and closes out the game, grabbing a 2-1 lead over the Brit.

Anything you can do, I can do better...

Evans also wins his service game to love to put pressure back on the Frenchman - it seems a break of serve could be the difference in this contest on Centre Court.

Halys continues to fire rockets at Evans and wins his first service game with aplomb, regaining confidence with a couple of powerful aces.

It looks like Evans will have to get the job done on his serve, as he did last set.

Halys makes a shocking error at the net on his serve, and Evans capitalises to claim the third set!

Game on!

Nothing to separate them still...

Both stars hold serve...

Evans bounces back to level the score!

The Frenchman takes the lead...

Honours even after the first two points...

Evans caps off a dominant service game with a strong ace past Halys, who now must hold his serve to force a tie break.

He's got the fire lit under him now... where was this yesterday?

Evans sparks an explosive cheer from Centre Court as he majestically lobs Halys to go 30-15 ahead, but the Frenchman recovers well to win the next two points and take it to 40-30 in his favour.

Evans forces Halys into overfiring a forehand - bringing up deuce - but fails to gain advantage against the 26-year-old, losing the game with an unsuccessful lob.

He's sticking in there! Evans looked under immense pressure at 15-30... but the Brit manages to keep his nerve to win the next three points against Halys, holding his serve.

A break now will win the set...

Evans barely got a look-in in that set. Halys blitzes his service game with four quickfire points and seems to have really found his rhythm.

Over to you, Dan.

The Centre Court crowd roars in support as Evans slices his backhand past Halys to hold his serve and put pressure on Halys.

He may be struggling to deal with the Frenchman's serve, but he's doing his job on his side of the court. This set could easily head to a tiebreak.

Evans is holding his own in the crucial third set, with the pair honours even after six games.

The Brit came so close to breaking Halys in the last game, drawing the Frenchman to deuce, but his fierce serves earned two quickfire points to make it 3-3. Game on!

Dan Evans is back out on Centre Court after falling to a two-set deficit against Quentin Halys yesterday. 

His match is likely to be the final action of day two at Wimbledon this evening, and we'll stay to provide you updates from the first round match as Evans looks to recover for a famous comeback.

Stay tuned!

Norrie holds his serve to beat Machac 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Court One, keeping his nerve in what was a closely-fought battle between the Brit and the Czech.

Machac can be proud of his performance but Norrie deserved to advance, showing more consistency across the four sets, and he'll be raring to go for round two. 

Stay tuned for Mail Sport's report from Wimbledon.

What a huge win for Norrie! The pair have gone toe-to-toe throughout the set but finally the Brit has the all-important break.

Norrie returns expertly to earn two break points at 40-15 and this time he capitalises on his second, prompting a roar from the home crowd. 

The second round is in his sights now...

Despite losing the opening point, Norrie holds firm to volley back a fierce shot from Machac at the net, recovering at 15-15.

But Machac continues to show the Brit was he's made of with some excellent stroke play, earning two break points with first a dropshot and then a powerful backhand.

Norrie rescues the situation with his serve, acing the Czech before taking him to deuce - again - and manages to save yet another break point as Machac fired out after winning advantage.

Norrie sparks huge cheers from Court One as he finally earns advantage and fires a strong serve past the Czech, holding his service game.

The pair are going tit for tat in almost all areas this match, and the amount of deuces we've had shows how close they are. Machac's service game heads to deuce once again, but the Brit continues to squander his break points.

The Czech has only let two break points pass him by this match - for Norrie, he's squandered an incredible 13...

Ultimately, Machac saves three break points to hold his serve with a clinical ace past the Brit - and now the pressure is back on Norrie.

Another game goes to deuce, as Machac fights hard for a break, but Norrie does enough to fend off the challenge and level the score in the set.

Machac's sore hand continues to plague him. He's getting nowhere near as much power on his forehands as he was in the first two sets. 

Norrie goes 40-15 ahead but Machac finds an extra gear to save the two break points and force deuce, before volleying at the net to claim advantage.

The Brit returns brilliantly, bringing a smile from his coach in the stands, to force deuce again. He earns yet another break point but stumbles and squanders it, as the pair continue to trade blows on deuce.

Finally, Machac closes out the game with a well-placed ace and survives to fight another day. 

Norrie draws level in the fourth set as he holds his service game - but it was certainly no walk in the park.

Machac forces deuce with a series of clever shots and piles the pressure on the home favourite, but once Norrie gains advantage he makes no mistake, out-rallying the Czech.

Wow, that's got to be one of the shots of the day from Machac. With the score at 30-30, the Czech excites the crowd with a diving volley close to the net, almost doing the splits, and the ball dips over before spinning back on to his side of the court, giving Norrie no chance.

Machac gifts Norrie a point back, bringing up deuce, and it proves a decisive error as the Brit wins successive points to break back, with Machac losing his footing once again on the final point.

What a start for the Czech! He's clearly suffering from a sore hand and slipped treacherously midway through the game, but he's still come out on top.

Machac uses his ability close to the net to keep Norrie on his toes, and forces deuce with a host of smart moves, before capitalising with successive points to grab the break.

Game on!

Machac heads back out on to Court One with a grimace but is clearly keen to carry on scrapping after going toe-to-toe with Norrie earlier in the contest.

The Brit managed to claim two points from the Czech during his first service game, but Machac kept his cool to hold serve and start off the fourth set on the front foot.

Andy Murray showed no mercy to unheralded compatriot Ryan Peniston as he put on a command performance in front of Roger Federer and the Princess of Wales.

With a prestigious audience in the Royal Box, Murray took only a fraction over two hours to beat the British wildcard 6-3, 6-0, 6-1 Under the roof of Centre Court away from the elements.

Peniston, from Southend, is ranked a humble 268, but is at his best on grass, as he has shown with three victories in the last two editions of the Cinch Championships at Queen’s Club.

Read MIKE DICKSON's full report from Wimbledon below:

Norrie races away with the second set, winning every point in his service game without reply, as Machac continues to struggle with his hand. 

The Czech's physio doesn't look too confident either - and this could be bad news for Machac, who is now 2-1 down.

He'll be assessed by his team ahead of the fourth set... let's hope he can keep this entertaining contest going and continue.

The pair trade blows early on in Machac's game before an ace from the Czech puts him 30-15 ahead - but his failed dropshot into the net levels the scoreboard.

Norrie wins the next rally to earn a vital break point at 40-30, but he fails to return Machac's second serve successfully and brings up deuce.

He then gets a shot at another double break - but Machac plays a series of remarkable shots at the net to stay in the set and force deuce once again. 

Finally, third time lucky, Norrie wins his third break point of the game - taking advantage of Machac dropping his racket due to cramp in his hand.

Norrie looked to claim two perfect service games back to back as he surged to 40-0 at a rapid rate, but Machac managed to finally return one of the Brit's serves to fight back at 40-15.

It only delayed the inevitable, however, and Norrie's aggressive serving continued to take the game, pushing him 4-1 ahead in the third.

A much-needed win for Machac to quell Norrie's momentum. The Czech plays to his strengths and focuses on mastering his serve, taking his tally of aces to 10 for the match in this game.

Wow. He's raced through that set.

Norrie channels his momentum to blitz through the third game of the third set, peppering Machac with well-placed and powerful serves. The Czech has no answer, and Norrie takes all points without reply.

Norrie has his break! What an excellent game from the Brit.

He manages to force deuce from 40-15 down before playing a glorious backhand to gain advantage over the Czech. With the crowd behind him, Norrie continues to rally with power and confidence and, as Machac heads to the net, he forces an error from his opponent. 

Great start for Norrie in the third.

Norrie makes light work of his first service game and wins it with ease - maybe he knows he took off the gas in the second set and will attack the third with more energy?

If he can shrug off those unforced errors that have plagued him in the last half an hour, Norrie will feel confident he can see off Machac, despite his convincing display so far.

We could be in for a cracker here on Court One. Norrie looked excellent in the first set but after a series of errors in the second, Machac is firmly back in the contest. 

The Brit did what he could to put pressure on Machac, forcing deuce with some strong returns of serve, but the Czech keeps his composure to win two back-to-back points, claiming the set on an unforced error.

We've not had a lot of tennis today to cheer about, with no matches outside due to rain, but this one could certainly go the distance.

Despite making light work of Peniston this afternoon, Murray admitted he was quite nervous before facing the 27-year-old on Centre Court.  

‘It’s amazing to be back here on Centre Court, I started quite nervous, a little tentatively, but once I got the break I played some good stuff,' Murray said.

'It has been a long time since I have felt physically this good coming into Wimbledon. Hopefully I’m ready for a good run.

‘It was amazing to have some royalty here and some tennis royalty as well. Roger here supporting this event.

'Last time he watched me here was here was at the Olympics he was supporting Stan Wawrinka (against me). It was nice to see the odd clap when I did something good!'

Norrie looks to gain the ascendancy early on in his service game, first profiting from a clipped shot over the net before an ace to make it 40-15, but Machac reacts well to force deuce on Court One.

Despite a few unforced errors during rallies, Norrie serves well to keep it at deuce and eventually claim the game, keeping the second set alive.

For Machac, the next game is crucial. Hold serve, and he levels the match.

Norrie looks as though he's going to make it three breaks from three games as he climbs 30-15 ahead early on, but Machac bounces back with two fierce serves, one being an ace, to make it 40-30 in his favour.

Machac needs no second invitation and closes out his service game clinically, taking the score to 3-5.

Well, well, well. Machac breaks Norrie back straight away with some excellent tennis, getting the better of the home favourite throughout a host of rallies in that set.

Despite grabbing the first point of the game, Norrie makes a couple of unforced errors to hand the Czech an opening, and he makes no mistake in taking his second of two breaks points this match at 15-40.

That's exactly what Norrie needed. The Brit pegs Machac back with a break of his own and draws level at 3-3, blowing the second set wide open.

Norrie has made a habit of squandering break points so far this match, letting go of six in total, but he managed to keep his composure to capitalise and level the scoreboard.

It's been an excellent response from Machac since going a set down, and we pick up on Court One with the Czech 3-2 ahead of Norrie, with his service game up next.

Stay tuned for game-by-game updates on Court One.

We'll soon bring game-by-game updates from Court One as Cam Norrie looks to kick on after his first set against Tomas Machac, but first let's reflect on the adoring reception Roger Federer received on Centre Court during Andy Murray's triumph over Ryan Peniston.

Murray and Federer shared tender moment as the Brit spoke to reporters after the match, with the retired superstar impressed by Murray's efficient win.

Read more below from Mail Sport on Federer's return to Centre Court...

Andy Murray wins on Centre Court, claiming a 6-3, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ryan Peniston.

He grabs his third break of the third set to win the match in dominant fashion, but Peniston gave the Scot something to think about early on, impressing in the first set despite falling short. Peniston will no doubt be back stronger.

But this afternoon's match, which only just ticked over two hours, was all about the brilliance and composure of Murray, who got the job done emphatically after the end of the first set.

Blink, and it'll all be over. Murray dominates Peniston in yet another dominant service game, going one match away from a comfortable victory.

Will he break Peniston again or can the underdog hold off the inevitable for another game?

Despite a tightly-fought opening to the first set, Norrie kicks into gear after his break of serve and manages to make light work of Machac's early challenge, winning 6-3 with two breaks.

Murray continues to put his foot down some excellent stroke play, earning two more break points at 40-15 after a couple of solid rallies with Peniston.

Peniston grabs a point back to inspire hope, but Murray makes no mistake on his second break point, taking the game with a firm backhand.

It looked to be another bread and butter service game for Murray, who continues to dominate from the back of the court, but Peniston's fighting spirit helps recover to 40-30, putting the first bit of pressure on the Scot in a while.

Murray fluffs his first serve, giving Peniston a chance on his second, and the 27-year-old holds firm to force an error out of the veteran, who fires out to bring up deuce.

As so often has been the case this afternoon, Murray finds the extra gear when it matters and produces a fierce ace to claim advantage, and capitalises on a poor error from Peniston to win the game.

Norrie earns his first break of the first set, leading 3-2 over Machac after an even start on Court One. 

The Brit will hope to hold his serve and claim the important first set, but Machac has not looked like rolling over.

The crowd explodes into applause as Peniston edges out a 31-shot rally to go 15-0 up, and the 27-year-old smiles as he takes the first point of his service game.

Centre Court continues to get behind Peniston, who really deserves more than the scoreboard suggests, and he climbs to 40-15 with the crowd behind him.

But, as has so often been the case, Peniston blinks and offers Murray back into the game, first firing the ball out before falling to Murray's clever dropshot. Deuce.

Finally, Peniston keeps his cool to take the game with two successive points - and the crowd are delighted for him.

Routine for Murray. Peniston has no answer for his strong serves and barely manages to produce a rally, as the Scot takes all points in his service game without reply.

Peniston began the match winning the important rallies, but it's completely changed since the start of the second set. A few loose shots has put the Scot in a commanding position.

Murray returns well throughout Peniston's service game, forcing a host of rallies. He continues to play his accurate strokes until Peniston makes a mistake, and it's working like a charm. 

Murray takes the game to 40-15 with relative ease, and puts the dagger in to claim his first break. Could this be another 6-0?

Make no mistake, Murray played some excellent tennis in that set. But a 6-0 drubbing is a little unfair on Peniston...

He's been in almost every game but failed to capitalise when it's mattered. And this game sums it up more than any.

Peniston fights hard to keep apace with the Scot and manages to force deuce, but Murray is just too strong for the 27-year-old. His powerful strokeplay keeps Peniston firmly on the back foot and he's unable to get enough loft on the ball to force it over the net, putting Murray a set away from a comfortable victory.

Cam Norrie begins his Wimbledon journey on Court One against Tomas Machac. We'll update you with major moments throughout the match, while continuing to bring game-by-game updates from Centre Court. 

It's truly been an exhibition from Murray this set, and the Scot regains control yet again despite going 30-0 behind. He clips a remarkable dropshot to have Peniston running in circles to draw level before powerfully rallying to gain a break point at 40-30.

Peniston is given a shred of respite though and draws the score to deuce, as an unforced error from Murray flies way into the Centre Court crowd. He gains advantage with his first ace of the set, but Murray claws it back to deuce.

The pair continue to trade blows - with Peniston denying Murray another two break points by pinning him back to deuce - but eventually the Scot prevails to go 5-0 up.

Three quick points gives Murray full control at 40-0, as Peniston's body language starts to drop considerably. This isn't how he wanted the second set to go after his excellent first half an hour.

But the 27-year-old shows character to dig his heels into Centre Court, forcing deuce with three successive points. 

Murray fires an ace to regain advantage and is very fortunate to win the subsequent rally, as the ball clips off the net and well out of the reach of Peniston.

Peniston continues to make a habit of letting Murray back into his games. The underdog goes 30-0 up with some good tennis but gifts the Scot an avenue back in with another unforced error on the volley. 

Murray rallies well to go 40-30 ahead, before putting Peniston to the sword with a ruthless return to break serve.

That should be enough for the second set...

Ons Jabeur cruises through the first round with victory on Court One, as the Tunisian beats Magdalena Frech 6-3, 6-3 to advance.

Meanwhile, Murray holds control on Centre Court, winning his service game to go 2-0 up in the second set.

Murray carries on his strong display at the end of the first set during Peniston's opening service game of the second, going 30-0 up after a 22-shot rally with his opposite number.

Despite Peniston winning a point back, Murray went for the throat with another accurate shot, climbing 40-15 ahead to earn two break points.

The Scotsman fails on the first opportunity but impresses again with a beautiful backhand to the corner, prompting a groan from Peniston as he fails to return it.

Break Murray!

Peniston gives the crowd a rousing fist pump as he wins the first two points of Murray's game, but the Scot bounces back in style again to win four straight points and claim the set.

That was far closer than most expected, with Peniston prospering from his strong backhand in rallies, but Murray kept his cool throughout the set to see off any break opportunities. 

It'll be interesting to see how Peniston reacts after losing the set. He'll no doubt hope the Scot tires - but Murray always seems to find second wind when his back's against the wall.

He may have lost control a little in this set, but take nothing away from Peniston. He's still well in this match.

Two quickfire points gets the 27-year-old off to a much-needed strong start in the eighth game, and he later takes the score to 40-15 with a strong two-handed backhand.

Peniston's backhand proves the difference again with the next point, as he smashes a crosscourt shot past Murray to win the game.

Don't give Murray an inch, or he'll take a foot. Peniston failed to capitalise last game despite going 30-0 up, and it seems to have shifted Murray into another gear.

Executing his shots perfectly, Murray wins the seventh game with ease, as Peniston failed to challenge with a single point.

Peniston twice gets the better of Murray in a lengthy rally to go 30-0 up, and it seems the 27-year-old's best shot at victory is going toe-to-toe with the Scot.

Having said that, Murray's showing off his full arsenal of shots on Centre Court today, first producing a glorious dropshot and then a powerful forearm to balance the scales back in his favour. Three successive points gives Murray a break point, but an unforced error brings Peniston back to deuce.

But Peniston gifts Murray advantage back with another unforced error in the game, striking into the net unchallenged, before losing his serve to the Scot.

Murray breaks!

Very little to separate the two Brits here - a break could easily be enough to grab the first set.

Murray jumps 30-0 ahead with two short rallies before Peniston digs in to level the scoreboard, returning powerfully and accurately to put the Scot on the back foot.

A third successive point hands Peniston a vital chance to break serve, but Murray hangs in there to edge out the rally and bring the scores to deuce.

In typical Murray fashion, the former champion finds another gear and shows off his strong forehand game, winning back to back points to take the game.

This could be a Wimbledon classic in the making...

Peniston's serve proves too strong for the Scot, who fails to pick up a single point in that game. Peniston is rallying well here and impressing with his service game.

We're switching up our Wimbledon coverage ahead of this evening, with Mail Sport's TAMARA PRENN deserving a well-earned break. I'll be here from now until the close of play on day two to bring you all the latest Wimbledon updates.

Stay tuned!

Peniston has a little more creeping control in this second attempt to crack Murray's serve, forcing the older player onto the back foot. 

Murray's backhand falters under pressure, putting the players level on 30-all, before Peniston gets the first opportunity to break the two-time champion after moving him out of reach of the return. 

Faulting with his first serve, Murray is handing a little respite when Peniston hits his generous second serve long. 

Murray swipes the advantage, but hits an attempt at a winner into the sidelines. At the second time of asking, after first faulting - and throwing up his arms in mild disgust - he finds the net with a weak forehand.  

Some punchy play at the net hands Murray a third opportunity to hold onto his serve , and this one he takes. Directing Peniston across the court, he pushes him back and forces him to play short. 

The 27-year-old provides the perfect retort with a straightforward hold of his own serve. 

Peniston finishes off the game with a smashed forward winning that barrels down the sidelines, bypassing Murray. 

Murray serves to open the match, and the players start in some style with an elegant cross-court rally that gives the supporters something to chew on before Peniston plays his final forehand into the net. 

But as he gets 30-love clear, Murray overcooks his forehand to send the ball shooting past his opponent hovering on the baseline. 

The veteran steadies the ship, however, and calmly holds in the opening game. 

As per the Times, Murray was the one who facilitated a spot in the Royal Box for British-Iranian journalist Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was detained by Iran between 2016 and 2022. 

Zaghari-Ratcliffe told Radio 4 that she had watched his 2016 Wimbledon title win whilst she was imprisonned. 

He is a player whose success these championships are crying out for. An individual whose mere six matches on grass before this summer mean we can probably calculate little but whose searing, occasionally glittering, arrival provided a hint that there really will be compelling competitive intensity come a possible endgame with Novak Djokovic.

Carlos Alcaraz won in just under two hours as the rain battered down on the Court One roof, with a precision and economy of movement which suggested that his exquisite baseline drop shot, and the metronomic accuracy will be signatures of the next two weeks.

The drop shot materialised in the second game of the second set – a pronounced motion to loop the ball high and land it stone dead from just inside the court. There was a lob of such outrageous precision that he apologised to his opponent, Jeremy Chardy for it.

READ MORE BELOW. 

Last year's finalist Ons Jabeur has started her campaign to do one better than 2022 against Magdalena Frech. 

They're got a game apiece on serve in the first 10 minutes of play. 

But most of our focus on the blog will stay with Andy Murray and Ryan Peniston, who should be heading onto Centre Court in a matter of minutes. 

I just bumped into a senior official at Wimbledon who said that they have been informed that if we do not get play before 5pm on the outside courts - it is currently not raining but damp - then it is looking very bleak for the rest of the day as it is expected to get worse thereafter.

A raft of matches have already been cancelled for the day.

Place in the second round booked, Alcaraz will do battle with either Alexandre Muller or Arthur Rinderknech, who are set to play an all-French affair should the rain ever stop, as their tie has optimistically dodged cancellation. 

The Spaniard has never met Muller before, and but has found himself up against Rinderknech twice - most recently at Queen's just a few weeks ago. Alcaraz won the day, but the Frenchman swiped the opening set. A rematch could be an interesting prospect. 

In the end, Rogers was no match for a former champion in full flow. Serving for the match, Rybakina raced to 40-love before brutally dispatching her rival without a point. 

She'll face either Alize Cornet or Nao Hibino in the next round. 

It is either still raining or still threatening to rain in SW19 and as a result a number of matches have been cancelled. 

They are: 

Sakkari v Kostyuk

Kartal v Keys

Riske-Amritraj v Badosa

Tiafoe v Wu

Shimabukuro v Dmitrov

Lehecka v Ofner

Ivashka v Coria

Golubic v Schmiedlova 

Stricker v Popyrin

Cirstea v Maria

Carundolo v Borges

Minnen v Ostapenkp

Cristian v Bronzetti

Mochizuki v Paul

Haddad Maia v Putintseva

Raonic v Novak

The rest have a hope of playing, but it might just be a hope.  

She was the Wimbledon champion who kept tennis very much in the family.

Kitty Godfree won two singles titles at SW19 and went on to triumph in the mixed doubles with her husband Leslie in 1926 - two years after defeating him in the same category.

The couple remain the only husband and wife to win together at Wimbledon, but Kitty also contested the women's doubles with her sister Margaret in 1922...

READ MORE BELOW. 

After that false start, Rybakina has looked in towering form, dispatching Rogers 6-1 in the second set. 

The No 3 seed is 3-1 up in the third set, after breaking her opponent early in the contest. With momentum behind her, she may already be dreaming about the second round. 

Alcaraz applauds Chardy off the court, before speaking to BBC Sport: 

'I think I played really well at the beginning of the match. But in the third set, he found his level. I was in trouble, but I like to play rallies, I like to play battles, and I'm really happy to have played a great level in the third set. 

'I'm really happy to get through this first round.'

On playing under covers: 'Without the roof - with sun, it's much better, but I have to be really focused. With the roof or not, I have to find my best level. 

'It's so beautiful to play (on grass with sun) and it's beautiful for me as well.'

On his many fans: 'It's really beautiful to play here, I have great memories from last year, I'm really, really happy to have a lot of people supporting me. I'm a really lucky guy to live this kind of experience, this love in every country. I'm really happy as well to see a lot of Spanish people coming to see me - I'm a really lucky guy.'

It was a valiant effort from the retiring Frenchman, but Alcaraz was in towering form throughout the match, and only briefly held back by Chardy. 

He wins the game with a rip-roarer: an ungettable ace that almost knocks Chardy off the court. 

Step one complete! How far can Alacaraz go? 

The 542nd-ranked player defeated no less than Roger Federer in 2014, but at the Rome Masters of that year, when he was fourth in the world. 

Now, I don't think the 'last' match of his career is when he's going to break new ground. But there are the stirrings of a swansong about this match, at least. 

Alcaraz completes a routine hold to level the third set 5-5, and goes 0-40 up in Chardy's next service game. Can the Frenchman break Alcaraz's serve and take him to a tiebreak? 

When Jodie Burrage walked out onto Court 18 amid the south west London drizzle a year ago, little did she know a sugary snack would help put her on the map.

Burrage lost that day in round one of Wimbledon, downed 6-2, 6-3 by Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko, but the bigger story was the Brit and her unorthodox medical assistant for a stricken ball boy.

There was immediate concern when a young ball boy had to be led to a chair and tended to by the match umpire...

READ MORE BELOW. 

There is so much more fight in Chardy now, the further he is from that demoralising first set. Again, he takes Alcaraz to advantage, and when he loses it, wins it again. 

Chardy sprints up the court to catch Alcaraz's soft dropshot just over the net, which he does, but Alcaraz leathers the response cross court and past his frozen opponent. 

But still Chardy doesn't quit - climbing back up to advantage in a bid to hold onto his serve. Alcaraz can't quite finish off the Frenchman in the same ruthless way he had no problem dispatching him with in the first two sets. 

And as Alcaraz is frustrated in these longer and longer battles, Chardy is successful yet again, pulling off a vital hold after Alcaraz is forced into skying the ball out of play. 

A terrific nerveless smash from the back of the court which Alcaraz can't handle flies off the Spaniard's racket. Charby plays confidently across court, but Alcaraz's nimble movement sees him moving to return every shot the Frenchman tries to send out of his reach. 

Charby is ready for the final denouement at the net, but smothers it into the netting, rather than over. 

In the end, it's a comfortable hold for Alcaraz. 

After losing the first set, Rybakina wastes no time looking for revenge. She's 3-0 up in the second set against Rogers. 

Was the break a turning point? Charby scuttles along the baseline with a new lease of life as he digs deep to return Alcaraz's far-flung shot and level things at 30-all. 

But Alcaraz hasn't completely lost focus, and his return of Charby's ensuing serve practically splits the court. He makes light work of the next two points, and we're back on serve again. 

Chardy breaks! Scarcely imaginable 20 minutes ago, but a reality now! He holds Alcaraz tantalisingly at deuce, gaining the advantage before the No 1 seed serves up an ace to reset things. 

But he gets to advantage a second time - and appears to win it with a jerking cross-court forehand, but Chardy's out, and Hawkeye confirms it. 

When Alcaraz wins the advantage off a ferociously-sharp slice the applause is almost muted - and loudly when things reset to deuce again. 

Charby is really growing stature as the longest game of the set runs on, the players trading deuce and advantage. And then, with a smashed forehand winner, he does it! 

Shelby Rogers has swiped the first set from the reigning champion Rybakina!

Under the watchful eyes of her idol Roger Federer, the Kazakh was unable to recover from her losses early on in the set. 

Chardy opens up his serve by going 15-love up, but again, he double faults to gift Alcaraz a way in that the Frenchman can ill-afford. 

Alcaraz gets two chances for break point, but unbelievable, falters on both: the first with a rare unforced error, and the second time thanks to some smart play from Chardy at the net, an elegant floating backhand that drops just over the side of the net. 

Growing in confidence, Chardy buckles down to see out the game and stay on serve. Court No 1 erupts, helped along in no small part by Chardy's wife, Susan Gossage, who has been keeping the fans pumped up and firmly behind the Frenchman. 

Chardy has the lead for the first time in the tie, after holding his serve in the third set at both times of asking. 

Something that has been plaguing his game has been the Frenchman's consistent double faults. Chardy has served up an unseemly nine of the things, but with a clearer head, the unseeded player has been able to boost his confidence somewhat. 

You don't need to have powers of clairvoyance to work out that it will be extremely unlikely any of the uncovered ties go ahead this afternoon. 

It sounds monsoon-like ricocheting off the roof of Court No 1. 

At such an early stage in the tournament, this could play havoc on the finely tuned schedulings for the week ahead. 

During Wimbledon fortnight, the BBC's popular highlights show is a staple for fans who can't watch the live action during the day. 

However, this year's revamped version - which scraps the familiar studio overlooking Centre Court - has been dubbed 'dreadful to watch'.

The nightly evening show's long-term presenter Clare Balding is now fronting the main action, after veteran host Sue Barker retired last year.

READ MORE BELOW. 

In a friendly moment, Alcaraz makes Chardy's challenge on the umpire's call for him after his opponent's time to do so expires. 

Alas, the out call still stands, and Alcaraz is free to continue thundering his way to victory. 

With less than an hour player, the top seed has two sets in the bag. I would not recommend going anywhere - or even blinking. 

Last year's champion Elena Rybakina trails Shelby Rogers in the opening moments of their tie. The unseeded American broke the Kazah player's opening service game, but Rybakina is setting about sealing a break-back...

Centre Court hosted the likes of the Princess of Wales, former Prime Minister David Cameron and other A-List celebrities - but only one person drew the type of euphoric fanfare we saw here: Roger Federer.

The tennis royalty and his wife Mirka jetted in from Zurich after he performed on stage at a Coldplay gig on Sunday, and then joined a sky full of stars at SW19 including the likes of Kate Middleton in the Royal Box.

It formed part of a special celebratory moment - which was only visible on BBC iPlayer, rather than its main TV coverage - as the All England Club marked his unmatched eight gentlemen's singles titles at Wimbledon.

READ MORE BELOW. 

Being denied the opportunity to break has by no means slowed Alcaraz's near-inevitable march - if anything, it's sharpened his intensity. 

Alcaraz serves up an unruffled game in lightning-quick time, then straightforwardly gets back to breaking Chardy's serve. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but - should he triumph this afternoon, watching his progression through the tournament, hot on the heels of victory at Queen's, should prove fascinating. 

He's the youngest No 1 seed here, as per ESPN, since Boris Becker in 1987. 

Chardy holds his serve! To an enormous round of applause and warm support from the spectators on Court No 1. 

He beams at the change of ends, as if he had won the second set, rather than drawn his first blood in the match itself. 

Whilst the victory doesn't suggest a turning tide, hopefully the hold goes some way to shoring up Chardy's confidence. A break early in the second set might have been fatal - especially after just 38 minutes played. 

Doggedly Chardy tracks Alcaraz to deuce, and the Spaniard makes a rare error off a strong shot of Chardy's that he can only knock limply into the neck. 

But his next good-looking dropshot goes someway to redeeming him, as he drags Chardy back to deuce. To gain the next advantage, Alcaraz does battle with Chardy in the match's longest rally, the Frenchman parrying on the baseline nicely. But it's to no avail. 

Alcaraz swipes the game at the last, as Chardy's hunt for a way into the tie continues. The younger player has won a staggering 34 points to Chardy's 13 - and shows no sign of slipping. 

At the break in play, Chardy has a philosophical look as he takes a swig from his doctored Evian bottle. His 20-year-old opponent has looked positively unruffled romping to 5-0 in just 20 minutes. 

This will not be the way he envisaged going out of the sport. Brutal. 

Alcaraz is looking sensational, but he's scarcely impeded by Charby, who is - thus far - thoroughly outclassed. 

The Spaniard holds his serve with a light one-handed backhand that falls in a pin-perfect dropshot over the net, and out of Chardy's reach. 

Former Wimbledon quarter-finalist Feliciano Lopez in the commentary box sums it up nicely: 'Wow'. 

A hush settles around Court No 1 as Alcaraz skitters like Bambi on the fresh, lush grass. He's back on his feet, shaking himself off in a few moments - and hopefully won't see any related strains or stresses. 

Chardy is having a difficult time with his toss, and racking up an already uneviable string of double faults. But he brazens it out to win advantage at deuce. 

But Alcaraz, at first sitting deep, has an answer to everything Chardy can throw at him. Although the Frenchman is sending a run of composed shots his way, Alcaraz eventually resets them to deuce with a sparky forehand winner. 

Alcaraz is in commanding form, and grinds Chardy into making another unforced error - he breaks, again. 

Heavy showers will trouble play for the remainder of the afternoon but we're sure to go without outdoor action for at least another 45 minutes. 

Luckily, there'll be plenty to feast on taking part on the top two courts, but it's disappointing news for a number of Brits due to take part elsewhere. 

Chardy opens the serving with a tremendous wallop - the acoustics inside the covered Court No 1 are loud and ear-tingling. Alcaraz funks his opening return but levels the score at the next time of asking, going ahead when Chardy double faults for 15-30. 

A second double fault hands Alcaraz break point after contributing very little. But an excellent spell of mid-court play that sends the young Spaniard charging back and forth across the baseline helps Chardy see off the first threat. 

But not the second - Chardy finds the net with a wobbly backhand. 

Chardy might well be looking at his last match this afternoon - the French veteran announced that the championships will be his last singles tournament. 

The 36-year-old is still a competitive doubles player, and made the semi-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year. 

Don't get me wrong - there's not a fleck of blue in the sky, but a lot of umbrellas have been bravely put down just over an hour after rain stopped play. 

Whilst things will likely be brought to a stop once again, perhaps there might be the chance to sneak a few games in between showers. 

Nobody took much notice in 2005 when a spindly teenager from Serbia turned up for his debut at Wimbledon. On the defunct Court 19, where rows of picnic tables now stand, he unobtrusively beat Argentina's Juan Monaco in straight sets.

Roger Federer was the odds-on favourite to claim the men's title, win it he did, and long before then Novak Djokovic had made an unremarkable third-round exit.

Eighteen years, and several lifetimes' worth of controversies on, the Serb is still coming back, and now he is Lord of all he surveys at the All England Club.

Just 10 more minutes to go until Alcaraz will step out on Court No 1 - just enough time to read Mike Dickson's report on the Queen's champion, linked below. 

But Andy Murray is off the practice court and onto the next step of preparations as he counts down to facing off against his compatriot Ryan Peniston.

Rain has stopped play on day two of the Wimbledon Championships with fans forced to wait around in their waterproofs for the downpour to stop and action to resume.

The shower put a halt to Katie Boulter's opening round match with Daria Saville - with the Australian holding a 6-5 advantage in the first set when play came to a stop.

A few raindrops had scarcely troubled the players earlier in the day, however there was some concern as afternoon approached with menacing dark clouds seen overhead at the venue. 

READ MORE BELOW. 

The likelihood of rain over the capital has leapt up to over 90 per cent until about... midnight. Which would be enormously disappointing for day two if so - although the forecast for the rest of the week suggests that this could be the worst of it. 

There's still thunderstorms scheduled for much of the afternoon - hopefully in the form of a theatrical lightning bolt to mark the start of the battle of the Brits between Peniston and Murray on Centre Court. 

Tsitsipas has the upper hand against Thiem in the second set, leading 4-3 after losing 6-3 to the Austrian in the first. 

Sonego won his tie-break against 2021 finalist Berrettini 7-6 (7-5). Berrettini will be targeting a deep run here after catching Covid on the eve of last year's iteration of the tournament. 

Interestingly, of the 16 matches being played, Boulter and Saville are the only opponents that are still seeing out their first set. Hopefully the break in play doesn't dampen the intensity we've seen in the opening stages of the tie. 

That's when we're set to being on Court No 1, where No 1 seed (appropriately) Carlos Alcaraz will open his campaign against Jeremy Chardy. 

At 1.30pm, last year's champion Elena Rybakina will begin her title defence against Shelby Rogers - are thankfully both of those covered courts have had their roofs closed for some time. 

A few raindrops scarcely troubled the players earlier, but this time, it starts coming down English-style. Umbrellas go up - one in Wimbledon's green and purple over the Princess of Wales - and Boulter and Saville make their exit before the cover is dragged across Court 18. 

A frustrating point to leave the match - Saville battled to hold her serve 6-5, and Boulter was preparing to hold in a bid to take the match to a tie-break. 

The skies do not look particularly impressive, the clouds a blank and smoky grey. 

Revised weather report incoming...

The world No 371 forced a tie-break as he pushed the No 6 seed all the way to the bitter end, with neither player able to make the difference and break the other's serve. 

But aided by a double fault from Loffhagen, Rune saw out the win 4-6 to claim the first set by the finest of margins. 

Since the break-back, Boulter hasn't been able to swipe the match back from Saville, whose big hitting has made her look a formidable opponent against the British favourite. 

After making light work of Boulter to waltz to 40-15, Saville's opening fault opened the door for a seed of doubt which Boulter can capitalise on. With a terrific cross-court forehand, Boulter's strike just kisses the far sideline, and although Saville tries to claim it went out, Hawkeye redresses the balance. 

Boulter drives Saville to deuce but in gritty style, the Australian beds down to keep a handle on her service game. 

Kate Middleton gave a nod to tennis whites today as she headed to Wimbledon to honour close friend Roger Federer in a special ceremony on Centre Court.

The Princess of Wales, 41, looked elegant as she arrived alongside the Prince for the event at the All England Club, which is to pay tribute to the eight-time winner.

The royal - who has been patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club since 2016 - opted for a smart pleated white skirt and mint £1,950 Balmain blazer for the occasion.

READ MORE BELOW. 

Dominque Thiem has played a blinder of a first set, taking No 5 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas to task, 6-3. 

British wildcard George Loffhagen has peppily stayed on serve against No 6 seed Holger Rune - they're 5-5 in the first set. 

And battling compatriots Matteo Berrettini and Lorenzo Sonego were similarly tied until a break of serve from Sonego put him ahead, and he continues to lead 6-5 as Berrettini prepares to force a tie-break. 

From tennis royalty to actual royalty: the Princess of Wales, Patron of the All England Club, has snuck into the stands ringing Court 18 - no pressure - accompanied by retired former British No 1 Laura Robson and All England Club vice-chair Debbie Jevans. 

Saville won her serve to put her 3-2 ahead of the Brit, so perhaps a high-profile cheerleader can prove a spirit-raiser.

Dark clouds massing overhead, and perhaps the first droplets of rain on Court 18... 

But for the moment, Boulter is challenging Saville's advantage, arguing that her shot stayed in play rather than flying past the baseline. Hawkeye begs to differ, and Boulter looks threatened for a break-back. 

Saville does it! She flies across the back of the court, and fizzes a shot from deep to bypass Boulter completely. 

Game on from the Australian. 

Looking exceedingly sharp, Roger Federer rolls into town surrounded by a cluster of acolytes keen to catch a glimpse of one of the best grass court players of all time. 

Federer is due to be honoured with a ceremony commemorating his historic eight Wimbledon titles on Centre Court this afternoon, at about 1.15pm. 

'We'll have a moment just to celebrate his achievements and to say thank you for all the memories,' said Wimbledon's chief executive Sally Bolton. 

Seven-time champion Serena Williams was also due to receive the honour, but the legendary player is unable to travel due to her pregnancy. 

Boulter gets the earlier break! Again, the players push one another to deuce, looking fiesty and well-matched. 

The Briton wins the advantage with a run of clever play at the net that sees her dropshot land just out of Saville's reach, and Court 18 erupts after Saville mistimes her forehand to lose her second service game. 

A statement of intent from Boulter. 

Saville marches Boulter to deuce and wins the opening two advantages, but the Briton is unwilling to relinquish her serve so easily. 

Boulter wins the advantage with a delicately chipped volley at the net, which drops far shorter than Saville can make. The British No 1 swipes the game with another volley, this time caught at mid-court, which falls just over the net cord. 

Just one apiece in just over 15 minutes played. 

Saville takes the first game against Boulter, holding her serve. 

The British No 1 pushed her opponent to deuce, but Saville held her nerve to see out the game. 

These two have only scant history: they've met just once before, when Saville beat Boulter on home soil at the 2022 Adelaide Open. The home favourite dispatched Boulter 7-5 3-6 6-4. 

Former World No 1 and 2021 Wimbledon Champion Ash Barty shared that she and husband Garry Kissick have welcomed their first child, a boy named Hayden, on Instagram on Tuesday morning. 

Barty retired from tennis in March 2022, marrying Kissick in July of that year. 

Congratulations, Ash! 

Katie Boulter kicking off day two of Wimbledon, where the weather is clear with the possibility of rain delays from mid-afternoon.

Given the amount of pre-publicity she had had, it seems odds that Boulter has been put on Court 18, best known for hosting the historic marathon between Nicolas Mahut and John Isner.

Warming up with her opponent, Daria Saville - and no doubt preparing to serve up Ashes vengeance against the Australian. 

Just a few more minutes until she's underway. 

Wimbledon's ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes only hurt themselves, according to Muscovite world No 7 Andrey Rublev.

The All England Club banned players from the two aggressor nations 12 months ago after the invasion of Ukraine but was forced to reverse that decision this season after pressure from both tennis tours.

Players, led by the likes of men's third seed Daniil Medvedev, Rublev and women's world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka, were made to sign a declaration of independence upon their return this year and cannot carry any patriotic symbols on their kit.

READ MORE BELOW. 

With the return of Russians and Belarusians to Wimbledon competition and the shape-shifting success of Just Stop Oil this summer, day one was fairly uneventful in terms of headline-grabbing resistance. 

Wimbledon are taking extra security measures - in part responsible for the ferocious wait-times in The Queue (TM) - to ensure that an errant bag of orange powder isn't slipped in under a Panama hat or picnic blanket. 

And as of yet, there have been no Ukrainian-Russian or Belarusian match-ups in the first round draw - although time will tell if remaining Ukrainians Svitolina, Kateryna Baindl, and Lesia Tsurenko are drawn against Russian or Belarusian players in rounds to come. 

Svitolina and Tsurenko are among the Ukrainian players that have refused handshakes when drawn against those players - competing under a neutral flag here at Wimbledon - with Svitolina embroiled in controversy at the French Open for implying that her then-opponent Aryna Sabalenka had deliberately offered her a hand despite knowing her stance to whip up an already rowdy crowd. 

There may be a new king and queen of SW19 this year, with Wimbledon - one of the summer's sporting and social highlights - now underway. 

One of the great British hopes for the tournament is Katie Boulter, the nation's new women's No 1 and all eyes will be on the 26-year-old's progress, along with that of her Australian boyfriend Alex de Minaur - ranked No 17 in the world. 

Both have reasonably strong chances to go deep into the competition and will be relying on each other to help maintain focus and discipline in what is one of the tennis calendars most glamorous events.

READ MORE BELOW. 

Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner made a surprising fashion choice for his first round Wimbledon clash with Francisco Cerundolo.

Wimbledon is famous for its strict all-white uniform requirements, with their official website stating that this doesn't even include 'off white or cream'.

Despite the strict rule book that regulates what players can wear or carry out onto the court, the 21-year-old stepped out onto Centre Court carrying a custom Gucci duffel bag.  

READ MORE BELOW. 

In a word - not good. 

Whilst it looks like play will start on time, the afternoon's hopes of an uninterrupted session look fainter and fainter, with a strong chance of rain expected from 3pm, complete with theatrical thunder and lightning. 

Would it be British summer without raindrops in Pimms cups and damp strawberries at Wimbledon? Apparently not. 

A leading tennis analyst has slammed polarising Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios for his late withdrawal from Wimbledon and demanded that he never come back.

Kyrgios was a late scratching from SW19 after attempting to make a comeback from knee surgery that has ruled him out of tennis since before the Australian Open.

However, in a frustrating blow for the 2022 men's singles finalist, he picked up a wrist injury that ultimately ruled him out of The Championships.

READ MORE BELOW. 

Wimbledon fans are warned to allow for extra time after an airport-style security crackdown sparked by recent Just Stop Oil protests saw tennis lovers queuing for 10 hours.

The Wimbledon queue was in 'complete shambles' yesterday after fans were forced to undergo extra security measures, which included a '100 per cent bag search' and 'selective body search' at all gates.

Security measures, which organisers blamed for the slow queue, were boosted after the climate change group disrupted the second Ashes Test at Lord's, the Gallagher Premiership rugby final at Twickenham and the World Snooker Championship. 

READ MORE BELOW. 

Both the mens’ and womens’ No 1s start their SW19 campaign today, with Katie Boulter opening proceedings on Court 18 against Australia’s Daria Saville, and Cameron Norrie, seeded 12^th, set to face Tomas Machac in the last match of the day on Court No 1.

20-year-old Arthur Fury will be seeking a miracle against Medvedev, and Heather Watson will also be looking for an upset against No 10 seed Barbora Krejcikova.

Elsewhere, George Loffhagen will play Holger Rune and Sonay Kartal faces off against Madison Keys.

Plus, there’s the aforementioned Murray versus Peniston tie, which should prove a compelling watch.

The showpiece men’s contest on Centre Court pits Brit against Brit as Ryan Peniston – who had an impressive run at Queen's last year – against home favourite Andy Murray, hungry for more grass-court glory after wins at Nottingham and Surbiton.

No 2 and 3 seeds Aryna Sabalenka and last year’s winner Elena Rybakina will also feature on the hallowed turf, against Panna Udvardy and Shelby Rogers respectively. 

Rising starlet Carlos Alcaraz has a straightforward-looking tie against World No 542 Jeremy Chardy and Dominque Thiem faces off with Stefanos Tsitsipas on Court No 1.

Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverez, Holger Rune, Alex De Minaur, Matteo Berrenttini, and Frances Tiafoe are also among the big names kicking off their campaigns in south west London.

There are some high-profile hangovers too: Taylor Fritz will restart his 6-4 2-6 4-6 7-5 3-2 crusade against Yannick Hanfmann, British hope Dan Evans will also look to turn around his fortunes against Quentin Halys – he’s currently behind 6-2 6-3.

Hello and welcome to day two of this year’s Wimbledon championships as we prepare for a second no doubt action-packed day of competition in SW19.

There was no shortage of drama on opening day, with perhaps the biggest upset coming on Court No 1, as No 7 seed Coco Gauff was knocked out in emphatic style by her compatriot Sofia Kenin, 6-4 4-6 6-2.

Kenin won the Australian Open in 2020 but is currently ranked 128^th in the world handed the talented teenager her earliest-ever exit in the tournament where she first catapulted to fame in 2018 at the age of 15.

Venus Williams was knocked out by Elina Svitolina on Centre Court 6-4 6-3, and World No 1 Iga Swiatek completed a by-rote drubbing of Lin Zhu to win 6-1 6-3.

There were fewer surprises on the men’s side of the draw, with Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Andrey Rublev all progressing in straight sets, whilst Casper Ruud and Alexander Bublik also snuck through to the second round.

Liam Broady was the highest-ranked Briton to clinch victory on day one, beating Constant Lestienne 6-1 6-3 7-5, and wildcard Jan Choinski beat Dusan Laojvic in four sets, 5-7 7-6 6-2 6-2.

Jodie Burrage made it through to the second round for the first time with a 6-1 6-3 victory against Caty McNally, but Harriet Dart and Katie Swan were unable to overturn their higher-ranked opponents, Diane Parry and Belinda Bencic.

All caught up? We'll be getting underway with the all the action from 11am... I hope. There's intermittent rain expected all day, so expect some play disrupted.