Leylah Fernandez, Katie Boulter and Anna Kalinskaya continue grass court form with Wimbledon success

While rain delays disrupted most of the afternoon at Wimbledon with a stop start nature, two of the main stars of the prior grass court season were on form to begin their campaigns in Katie Boulter and Leylah Fernandez.

Boulter will face off against fellow Brit, Harriet Dart after taking down Tatjana Maria. A tricky operator on grass who has previously made headlines at Wimbledon, it was a tough assignment and was won in two close sets.

Claimed 7-6, 7-5 in just over two hours, Boulter had to wrestle the first set back from 3-0 and 4-1 down but led only at the end during the tie-break which she sealed narrowly 8-6 having never faced a set point. While the second saw breaks exchanged at the start but it was Boulter who led for the most part. She led 4-3 and 5-4 but only found the break to win at 7-5 after both kept hold of their serve throughout the set. Now is Dart in a match that no doubt will be on a bigger court given the home hope factor. But as ever, the first round is the toughest and she has navigated it well.

The same can be said for Leylah Fernandez who reached the final in Eastbourne and the 30th seed found a way past Lucia Bronzetti in straight sets fairly comfortably. Joining Bianca Andreescu in the next round, she won through in just over an hour and a half 6-4, 6-3.

She hit 21 winners and was 3/7 on break points. She now sits 7-2 on the grass this season and could yet face Elena Rybakina in the third round. The latter faces Laura Siegemund in the second round. Fernandez will take on either Caroline Wozniacki or Alycia Parks.

The section below her was also set with Anna Kalinskaya also continuing her good form. The Russian who reached the Berlin final was watched on by a smiling Jannik Sinner, her boyfriend. She saw off Panna Udvardy 6-3, 6-2 in just over an hour. Having not played on grass since 2021, she is enjoying success on the surface again. She now faces a tricky opponent in Marie Bouzkova.

While it is all Russian below her albeit with Avanesyan soon representing Armenia. She faces Liudmila Samsonova after wins over Anhelina Kalinina and Rebeka Masarova earlier today. The top section only currently has Iga Swiatek who saw off Sofia Kenin and also Jelena Ostapenko as confirmed winners with the latter easing past Ajla Tomljanovic. That match continues to capture focus with many of the other ties including matches for Kerber, Garcia among others still ongoing this evening.