On Monday, Harris beat Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in four sets to progress at the grass-court Grand Slam.

Harris was made to work hard for the win, with the first three sets all going to tiebreaks. The 28-year-old relied on his powerful service game, hitting 28 aces as he won 7-6, 7-6, 6-7, 6-2.

He will now face Andrey Rublev of Russia in the second round. The two players last met in the first round of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris last month, where Rublev beat Harris 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Daniil Medvedev. Photo: X

On Monday, Rublev booked his place in the second round with a 6-0, 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 win over Serbia’s Laslo Djere, setting up a rematch with Harris on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev of Russia became the first seeded men’s singles player to be eliminated from this year’s Wimbledon.

The former world number one and ninth seed was knocked out in the first round on day one by France’s Benjamin Bonzi, who won 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2.

Carlos Alcaraz. Photo: AELTC/Ian Walton

In the second big upset of the day in the gentlemen’s singles, the 8th-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark was knocked out with a 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 3-6 and 4-6 defeat to Nicolas Jarry of Chile.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is safely through to the second round but had to dig deep for a 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 victory over Italy’s Fabio Fognini.

Novak Djokovic will begin his bid for an eighth Wimbledon title on Tuesday when he faces Alexandre Müller of France.

Aryna Sabalenka. Photo: AELTC/Jonathan Nackstrand

In the ladies’ singles, world number one Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the second round with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Canada’s Carson Branstine.

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur – a former Wimbledon finalist – was forced to retire during the second set of her first-round match against Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria. Tomova was leading 7-6, 2-0 when Jabeur withdrew due to injury.

Local favourite Emma Raducanu progressed with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over fellow Briton Mimi Xu.

Jasmine Paolini. Photo: AELTC/Florian Eisele

The ninth seed, Paula Badosa, became the first major casualty in the women’s draw after losing 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to England’s Katie Boulter.

Fourth seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy narrowly avoided an early exit, coming from behind to beat Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

On Tuesday, Poland’s Iga Swiatek will be in action against Russia’s Polina Kudermetova, while defending champion, Barbora Krejcíková of the Czech Republic, will begin her title defence against Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek