London [UK]: Iga Swiatek found her footing on the grass court and advanced to the second round with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Zhu Lin in the ongoing Wimbledon 2023.
Swiatek hit 22 winners, more than three times as many as Zhu, and saved three of four break points. “After Roland Garros, I really took some time to just appreciate what happened,” Swiatek said after the win.
“Last year, when I won Roland Garros, it was my second Grand Slam so it still felt, like, overwhelming, but this time I really could just focus on celebrating and actually getting back to work with more peace in my head and I try to be open-minded for the grass season and I think it’s working. Hopefully I’m going to be able to keep that mindset,” she added.
Elsewhere, No.5 seed Caroline Garcia got her 2023 Wimbledon campaign off to a stunning start with a straight-sets victory over Katie Volynets.
Playing on Court No. 3, France’s Garcia defeated American Katie Volynets 6-4, 6-3 to win her opening match at Wimbledon for the sixth time in her career.
Garcia, who was competing in the 45th Grand Slam of her career, returned with customary strength and aggression. The Frenchwoman had a 4-for-8 break point conversion rate and won more than half of the points she earned by returning Volynets’ opening serve.
Volynets maintained his lead over Garcia for the remainder of the opening set; neither player broke serve until the score was 5-4. But Garcia earned her first set point with a strong forehand in the last game of the first set, and she won it with a return winner.
Garcia lost a double-break at 3-0 in the second set due to a run of unforced errors, but she quickly recovered and won four straight games before play was suspended for an hour and a half due to rain.
In the second round, Garcia will lock horns with either Kateryna Baindl of Ukraine or Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open finalist.
