Wimbledon 2014: Djokovic Off to a Jump Start, Verdasco Out

Top seed and 2011 champions Novk Djokovic got his Wimbledon campaign off to a winning start with a straight sets win over Andrey Gobulev.

Djokovic claimed a comfortable 6-0, 6-2, 6-4 win over the 54th-ranked player from Kazakhstan, who had lost his last nine matches on grass prior to the encounter at Centre Court.

Sixth seed Tomas Berdych fought back from an opening set loss to securing his place in the second round of the men’s singles on the opening day.

Novak Djokovic Sees Off Gorbulev to Reach the Second Round of Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic Sees Off Gorbulev to Reach the Second Round of Wimbledon.

The Czech Republican outlasted Romania’s Victor Hanescu 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.

Spaniard Fernando Verdasco lost out 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to Australia’s world number 58 Marinko Matosevic.

There were also wins for 12th seed Ernest Gulbis, 17th seed Mikhail Youzhny and Queen’s Club champion Grigor Dimitrov, seeded 11th.

Gulbis saw off Estonian Zopp 7-6, 7-5, 7-6, while Youzhny claimed a comfortable win over British number two James Ward 6-2, 6-2, 6-1.

Dimitrov also beat America’s Ryan Harrison in straight sets on the back of his victory qt Queen’s Club last week. He recorded a 7-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over the American.