Wimbledon 2023 LIVE: Relive coverage of day one of 2023 event

Summary

Sofia Kenin beats women's seventh seed Coco Gauff 6-4 4-6 6-2
Venus Williams loses to Elina Svitolina after nasty slip on Centre Court
GB's Liam Broady, Jan Choinski and Jodie Burrage through, but Harriet Dart and Katie Swan go out
GB's Dan Evans loses first two sets to Quentin Halys on Court Two before bad light ends play
Men's champion Novak Djokovic defeats Pedro Cachin in straight sets to reach second round
Women's world number one Iga Swiatek beats Zhu Lin 6-1 6-3

Live Reporting

Michael Beardmore and Joe Rindl

The wait goes onpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Cachin 3-6 Djokovic
Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Wimbledon
Image source, BBC Sport
The first set ended at 14:20 BST but we’re still waiting to get going again.
Efforts have been made to dry the court, which got hit with a quick shower before the roof was closed.
The players came out at 14:55 to inspect the surface but are not happy with how slippery it is.
An announcement from the chair umpire says: “The court is taking longer than expected to dry. We hope to resume play as soon as possible.”
Djokovic, getting impatient, comes on to court with a towel and tries mopping up the water to speed up the process.
Now someone from the ground crew has come on with a leafblower, trying to dry it out.
Image source, BBC Sport
Postpublished at 15:16 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Cachin 3-6 Djokovic
Ah they've brought the special water hoover thingy out on Centre Court. Yep, that's the technical name for it.
Novak Djokovic greets the chap operating it with a broad smile. Oh, he's joined by two other hoovermen. Three people can get the job done three times as quick, of course.
'I think he'll do pretty well'published at 15:15 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Lokoli v Ruud
Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 Live
Casper Ruud is a fantastic player. I thought he was going to be a David Ferrer-type player, but he's very powerful. He's developed real power in his game.
He did pretty well here last year. He was exhausted after the clay court season. I think he'll do pretty well. It's not as drastic a change [from clay to grass] as it used to be.
Postpublished at 15:13 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Lokoli v Ruud
More tennis is about to get going shortly - fourth seed Casper Ruud of Norway and France's Laurent Lokoli are warming up on Court One...
Celebrities criticise sponsorship dealpublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Film stars and celebrities are calling on Wimbledon to end its new sponsorship deal with Barclays over the bank's support for fossil fuel projects.
Actress Emma Thompson and film director Richard Curtis are two of the campaigners who said Barclays was "profiting from climate chaos".
Wimbledon said Barclays was committed to creating access to sport for all.
Barclays said it was one of the first banks to set an ambition to become net zero by 2050.
Curtis said: "With the great respect and love for Wimbledon - and all the magic from Billie Jean King to Andy Murray - the decision of the AELTC to partner with Barclays is a very bad line call."
Read more here.
Still to come on day onepublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Image source, Getty Images
Plenty to look forward to today, although it's a matter of how long we'll have to wait for play to resume on the outside courts.
Following the conclusion of Novak Djokovic's match against Pedro Cachin, veteran Venus Williams and Elina Svitolina will take to Centre Court for an exciting first round match-up.
Norwegian men's fourth seed Casper Ruud follows Iga Swiatek shortly on Court One, with American seventh seed Coco Gauff facing Sofia Kenin in the final match on that court.
Court Two will be all about the Brits later as Katie Swan and Dan Evans prepare to get their campaigns started, against Belinda Bencic and Quentin Halys respectively.
Elsewhere, American ninth seed Taylor Fritz comes up against German Yannick Hanfmann on Court Three, after Jodie Burrage's meeting with Caty McNally.
Baseline bother causing delaypublished at 15:05 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Cachin 3-6 Djokovic
Seems the moisture around the baseline is the issue causing the additional delay on Centre Court.
Can't blame both players for being careful - especially Novak Djokovic, who will not want any injury to derail his bid for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon men's singles title.
Image source, Getty Images
'I'm trying to be open-minded for the grass' - Swiatekpublished at 15:03 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Swiatek 6-1 6-3 Zhu
Image source, Getty Images
Time to hear from the women's world number one Iga Swiatek, after her opening victory over Zhu Lin:
"I felt like I did a really good job and wanted to see how today's going to go. I'm happy to be here and happy to play my game.
"I'm happy I had time to recover and before a Grand Slam you don't want to risk being too fatigued. I feel like I am in the rhythm so that's all good."
On winning the Juniors in 2018:
"Juniors seems like a lifetime ago, it gave me the belief I could play well on grass but it is a totally different story playing the ladies' tournament.
"After Roland Garros I took some time to appreciate the moment, and I am trying to be open-minded for the grass season."
Postpublished at 15:02 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Cachin 3-6 Djokovic
"Any good?"
"Hmmm, can't tell - just washed my hands before I came out and the hand-driers took forever."
Image source, Getty Images
Watch: Purcell proves he's a bit handypublished at 14:57 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Rublev 6-3 7-5 6-4 Purcell
Aussie doubles specialist Max Purcell improvised after dropping his racquet earlier in defeat to seventh seed Andrey Rublev.
We'll leave you to make your own Ashes-related joke about the bending of the rules here...
Media caption,
Wimbledon 2023: Max Purcell uses his hand to hit the ball in rally against Andrey Rublev
Brit watch - Broady in front after Dart exitspublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Image source, Getty Images
We have six British players in singles action on day one, with seven more set to play their first round matches tomorrow.
Harriet Dart's tournament is over following her 6-7 (4-7) 6-0 6-4 defeat by Diane Parry.
Liam Broady's match on Court 15, where he leads unseeded French player Constant Lestienne 4-1 in the first set, is currently suspended due to rain.
Later, on court two, Katie Swan faces 14th seed Belinda Bencic before Dan Evans plays Quentin Halys.
Nottingham Open finalist Jodie Burrage will aim for her first singles win at Wimbledon against Caty McNally on Court Three, while Jan Choinski is third on Court 17 against Serbia's Dusan Lajovic.
Sweepers out on Centrepublished at 14:54 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Cachin 3-6 Djokovic*
They've got the big, long water sweepers out on Centre Court, attempting to dry the surface sufficiently for play to resume.
Novak Djokovic looks pretty relaxed about proceedings, waiting in the wings - helps that he's first on today. Might not be as chilled if this was 8pm.
'Swiatek means business'published at 14:53 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Swiatek 6-1 6-3 Zhu
Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 Live
Swiatek really wants to get this crowd behind her by the end of the fortnight. She just oozes intensity. You can see by how she walks around the court, she is business.
'Looking forward to what Swiatek will do here'published at 14:52 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Swiatek 6-1 6-3 Zhu
Johanna Konta
Former British number one on BBC TV
That is what is tough (for Zhu Lin) coming back from a rain delay. You don't get an opportunity to play yourself in and if you don't it is all over very quickly.
Just so professional from Iga Swiatek. I am looking forward to what she'll do here.
She was very clear on her game plan and she executed it really well.
Game, set and match Swiatekpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Swiatek 6-1 6-3 Zhu
Top seed Iga Swiatek is through to the second round, finishing off Zhu Lin with a crisp backhand winner down the line.
A brilliant performance from the world number one.
Media caption,
Wimbledon 2023: Top seed Iga Swiatek storms into second round after beating Zhu Lin
Match point Swiatekpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Swiatek 6-1 5-3 Zhu*
Here's our first match point for world number one Iga Swiatek as Zhu Lin mishits a backhand wide. 30-40.
Rain and wind causing chaospublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Jess Anderson
BBC Sport at Wimbledon
Boooooo!
Play suspended everywhere, including Court Three, where Britain’s Jodie Burrage was set to play against American Caty McNally once the match between France’s Caroline Garcia and American Katie Volynets had finished. Groans rang round the crowd as the umpire announced play suspended.
The rain is really coming down now and not only that it’s very windy.
It’s now a mad dash to the roofed courts, if you’re lucky enough to have a ticket for one, or a scurry round to find some cover for a quick beverage!
It’s all part of the fun, I suppose!
Image source, BBC Sport
Postpublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Swiatek 6-1 5-3 Zhu*
Out. Swiatek goes 0-30 up. Only two points needed now.
Zhu Lin has won just one point since we restarted.
Postpublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
Swiatek 6-1 5-3 Zhu*
Boom. Iga Swiatek isn't messing about, holding to 15 with a crushing forehand winner down the line.
She's just a break away from a spot in the second round.
Play resumes on Court Onepublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 3 July 2023
*Swiatek 6-1 4-3 Zhu
Here we go. After a delay of about 20 minutes, we're back under way Court One.
Top seed Iga Swiatek starts with a forehand winner.