Wimbledon 2026: Boulter beaten by qualifier, Serena Williams returns – live

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Wimbledon 2026: Boulter beaten by qualifier, Serena Williams returns – live | Wimbledon 2026

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Key events

There’s not much to choose between the players on No 2 but, down break point, Shelton runs in to lift a forehand down the line … and it’s wide, meaning Virtanen will shortly serve for the first set. On No 1, meantime, Fritz and Lajovic are under way, while Wendelken is down set point to Royer, serving at 1-1 3-5 30-40.

I’ve switched off De Minaur-Burruchaga to take in some Day-Keys but, in case anyone was wondering, yes Roman Andres is the son of Jorge.

I’m afraid Mr Wendelken might soon be back in his rocking chair, Royer breaking him to lead 1-1 4-3; brilliant hitting from Paolini, moving Montgomery around, allows her to save break point at 4-4 in the third; and Keys has forced a third set against Day.

There are bare Italians on Court 12, all whooping and hollering because Paolini has just broken Montgomery back for 4-4 in the third. It’s a really good match, this, while elsewhere, De Minaur has broken Burruchaga back for 3-3 in the first; Virtanen and Shelton are 4-4.

Can someone please confirm that Wendelken’s locker-room nickname is “Mr”? Thanks in advance.

Otherwise, he and Royer are level at 1-1 3-3.

Montgomery consolidates, then Paolini holds for 3-4 in the third, while Sakkari has dispatched the no 24 seed, Tauson beaten 3 and 3. Next for her: Kalinina or Rakhimova, the latter up 1-0 in the third.

Oh, Paolini nets and Montgomery has the third-set break at 3-2; the no 13 seed is in trouble. Elsewhere, on No 1, Fritz and Lajovic will soon be out, then Centre gets going half an hour later, at 1.30pm BST.

I know Alcaraz is missing, so all the seeds have moved up one, but Ben Shelton at four sits strangely with me. He’s got talent, of course, but the fourth-best player in the draw? That’s a reach, and I’d not be at all surprised if he loses to Mensik, his fourth-round opponent should both progress – though al Mensik’s half of the section are Fils, Berrettini and Dimitrov, so he’s much work to do.

Updated at 08.07 EDT

Oh, and yet another Brit is now under way, Arthur Fery level with Damir Dzumhur at 1-1.

Keys has broken Day in set two to trail 6-7 4-3, and if that one goes to a third I’ll really want to find a way of watching it; Halys leads Arnaldi, beaten semi-finalist at Roland Garros, 2-1 with a break; Majchrzak now leads Tabilo, a clay-court specialist but no 30 seed, 6-3 7-5 4-3 with a break; Kenin has beaten Marcinko 7-6 6-4; with Michelsen and Fearnley at 2-2 in the first.

So around the courts we go. Shelton leads Virtanen 2-1 on serve; Royer has levelled against GB’s Wendelken at one set all, and it’s 1-1 in the third; Paolini and Montgomery are level at 2-2 in the decider; and Burruchaga leads De Minaur 2-0, the Demon having seen his fiancé wiped off the same court just a few minutes ago. Those are the matches I’m watching.

Back to Anisimova, she said it’s not easy playing a qualifier, as they’re in form having won matches to reach the tournament proper, but she feels good.

It feels amazing to be back, all the great memories, and she’s trying to carry the vibes from last year, enjoying every day. Any distraction she can get is great for her as grand slams are stressful and you don’t just wan to focus on the tennis.

Ah man, that was so good to see – elite sport is a cruel, brutal endeavour, and Swan was thinking about giving it all up now that long ago, but she persevered and enjoys the moment with her people in the crowd. I can’t begin to imagine how she’s feeling, mainly because it’s a way most of us will never experience, but I’ll tell you this much: it looks pretty good.

Katie Swan beats Irina Begu 6-4 6-4

What a win for Swan, the first Brit into round two and what great reward for all the pain, frustration, fear and doubt. Next for her it’s Day or Keys, Day currently leading 7-6 2-1.

Katie Swan celebrates her victory on Court 16 over Irina Begu. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianShare

Updated at 08.06 EDT

…and Swan immediately takes control of the rally but she’s tentative trying to finish it, then the error comes. No matter: Begu goes long from the back, and match point number five is imminent, my concentration disturbed by a soul-curdling roar from elsewhere – Paolini breaks Montgomery to level at one set all.

…tells. Swan tightens on the forehand, sending one long, and to deuce we go. Meantime, Montgomery has broken Paolini back in set two to lead 6-0 4-5 … oh, and Begu nails a winner down the line for advantage. So Swan hammers down a service winner, and that’s very impressive behaviour … and she follows it with another. Here comes match point number four…

Begu comes in, Swan tries to pass her, it’s a pretty good effort … but the stretch-volley is excellent. 40-15, then 40-30, and that’s two match points burned. Pressure…

Swan’s had a terrible time with injury – not that long ago, she was unranked, having to fight her way back simply to compete. And she did, so she’s here, sending down a slow second serve … that Begu overhits on return. And 15-0 is soon 40-0, all that pain and suffering leading to this point that she must’ve feared she’d never reach. Can Swan serve it out?

Also going on:

Begu holds so, after a sit-down, Swan will serve for the match.

Next no No 3: Alex de Minaur (5) v Roman Andres Burruchaga.

Next on No 2: Otto Virtanen v Ben Shelton (4).

We’ll do the interviews shortly, but out on 16, Begu is serving to stay in the match against Swann, down 4-6 3-5.

Tyra Grant beats Katie Boulter 6-4 6-2

There’s no other way to slice it: that was a hiding, and the biggest win of Grant’s career; I cn’t wait to see how she does from here. Boulter, meanwhile, who beat Rybakina at Queen’s, will be so disappointed, but she’ll know she didn’t turn up today. Next for Grant: Gibson or Bouzkova, Bouzkova currently leading 6-1 1-3.

Tyra Grant celebrates victory in her first round match against Katie Boulter. Photograph: James Marsh/ShutterstockShare

Updated at 07.21 EDT

Amanda Anisimova (6) beats Lina Gjorcheska 6-3 6-2

A domineering performance from the beaten finalist in last year’s competition – and US Open. She belongs at this level and she knows it; though her season hasn’t gone as she’s have hoped, do not sleep on her here. Next for her: Kenin or Marcinko, Kenin currently leading 7-6.

Amanda Anisimova makes quick work of her match against Lina Gjorcheska. Photograph: Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 07.17 EDT

Our top two matches look and feel almost over: Anisimova is serving for the match against Gjorcheska at 6-3 5-2, while Boulter is now down a set and a double-break at 4-6 2-5, the 18-year-old qualifier Grant about to serve for the match.

So I’m already watching Anisimova, and Boulter; to that, I’m going to add Paolini and Swan.

Katie Boulter plays a forehand against Tyra Caterina Grant. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 07.11 EDT

Anisimova is almost into round two, up 6-3 5-1 on Gjorcheska; Boulter, bidding to be the first Brit to win a match at this year’s tournament, trails Grant 4-6 2-4; Montgomery leads Paolini 6-0 1-3; Keys and Day are playing a first-set tiebreak; Sakkari leads Tauson 6-3 4-3 with a break; Majchrzak leads Tabilo 6-3 3-4; and in other, better Brit news, Wendelken leads Royer 6-4 1-2 and Swan leads Begu 6-4 3-2 with a break

Updated at 07.06 EDT

Righto, let’s begin with some latest scores, then we’ll talk about where eyes are best allocated…

Preamble

Wotcha one and all and welcome to Wimbledon 2026 – day two!

As you’d expect, we’ve a faintly daunting and thoroughly thrilling banquet of tennis awaiting us today, so let’s dig right in.

Early doors, last year’s double-bagelled finalist, Amanda Anisimova, gets herself and that work-of-art backhand going, with Katie Boulter also up first. Others in action are Jasmine Paolini, Madison Keys and Donna Vekic, while Maria Sakkari’s match with Clara Tauson has the potential to be a highlight.

Then, when No 1 gets going, Taylor Fritz takes on Dusan Lajovic – it was meant to be the bone-bruised Jack Draper – while on Centre, Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, meets doubles specialist, Taylor Townsend.

But it’s second on No 1 that really looks like the match of the day, Elena Rybakina, a former winner and this year’s second-favourite, drawn against Loïs Boisson, surprise semi-finalist in last year’s French Open.

Then, if to that, we add Alexander Zverev’s first appearance, along with those of Ben Shelton, Eline Svitolina, Alex de Minaur, Marta Kostyuk and the in-form Jakub Mensik, we know we’re flying – but of course that’s not the size of it. Jacob Fearnley meets Alex Michelsen in a match that has five-set epic written all over it; the surging Arthur Fils returns after injury; Griggzy Dimitrov, so unlucky to injure himself last year when two sets up against Jannik Sinner is back; Flavio Cobolli meets Mariano Navone; and No 1 finishes for the day with an aesthete’s banger, the great Stan Wawrinka beginning his final campaign against Mario Berrettini.

We have, though, kept the best till last: the Queen returning to her palace! Yup, four years since her last appearance, Serena Williams, the seven-times champion and greatest of all time, is back at the age of … 44 – ! – and will close out the action on Centre, facing Maya Joint for a place in round

Or, put another way, of all the things going on in the world today, the most exciting, the most affirming and the most inspirational is coming right up – at SW19 and in these pages. This is going to be very, very special. Here we go!