Wimbledon LIVE: Novak Djokovic is up first on Centre Court on Day One with Brits Katie Swan and Dan Evans in action… while fans brace for travel chaos

Follow Mail Sport’s live blog as we take you through Day One at Wimbledon, with Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams in action, alongside Brits Katie Swan and Dan Evans. 

Host commentator

British player Emma Raducanu won’t be playing in this year’s Wimbledon because of injury but she is there and took the time to pose for selfies with fans waiting to get in this morning.

Nobody took much notice in 2005 when a spindly teenager from Serbia turned up for his debut at Wimbledon. On the defunct Court 19, where rows of picnic tables now stand, he unobtrusively beat Argentina’s Juan Monaco in straight sets.

Roger Federer was the odds-on favourite to claim the men’s title, win it he did, and long before then Novak Djokovic had made an unremarkable third-round exit.

Eighteen years, and several lifetimes’ worth of controversies on, the Serb is still coming back, and now he is Lord of all he surveys at the All England Club.

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The rain isn’t so much of an issue at Wimbledon nowadays with Centre Court and No 1 court able to be covered over.

But it could still disrupt things on the outside courts, which don’t have that luxury, and make for a rather soggy day out for the fans with ground passes – not to mention those out in the Queue.

Over 6,200 non-ticket holders have joined the day one Queue in Wimbledon Park but the Met Office has advised them to pack a rain jacket and an umbrella because we could well see some showers today.

Rain is expected in south-west London at some point today and Tuesday threatens to be even wetter, though the outlook is brighter for the end of the week.

So you’ve been warned!

Anyone heading to Wimbledon this week should be aware of potential rail disruption after unions called another six days of industrial action.

Aslef, the train drivers’ union, has imposed a ban on overtime working, meaning timetables could be impacted.

South Western Railway, whose trains serve Wimbledon mainline station, are among 16 train operators across the country involved.

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Wimbledon will certainly be a duller place this year following the news that Australian wild child Nick Kyrgios, who made last year’s final, has pulled out with a wrist injury.

Kyrgios was due on No 1 court this afternoon against Belgium’s David Goffin but put out a statement last night saying he’d torn a ligament in his wrist and wasn’t able to get it right in time.

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Hopefully this graphic will help you get your bearings with action on all courts today.

Action on all the courts begins at 11am except for Centre Court (1.30pm) and No 1 Court (1pm).

Six Brits take to the courts on day one.

Dan Evans is one of two seeded British players in the men’s draw (along with Cam Norrie) and he opens against Quentin Halys of France on No 2 Court this afternoon.

Before that match on the schedule will be Katie Swan, who has an unenviable draw against the women’s No 14 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.

Liam Broady is in action, second onto Court 15 where he will play unseeded French player Constant Lestienne. Wildcard Jan Choinski is third on Court 17 against Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic.

Elsewhere in the women’s draw, the Nottingham Open finalist Jodie Burrage is on Court Three against Caty McNally of the United States.

Harriet Dart completes the British interest – first up on Court 12 at 11am against Diane Parry of France.

A packed schedule as ever to get things off and running on the first Monday of Wimbledon – and plenty of stars will be on court today.

Novak Djokovic, as is tradition for the defending champion, is first on Centre Court at 1.30pm BST as he takes on the unseeded Argentina Pedro Cachin in his first round match.

Following them is perennial Wimbledon favourite and five-time champion Venus Williams, 43, who has a tough first round match against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.

Rounding things off will be men’s eighth seed Jannik Sinner, who plays Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina.

Meanwhile over on Court One, the women’s world No 1 and top seed Iga Swiatek will be getting her campaign underway against China’s Zhu Lin from 1pm.

Following on is the Norwegian Casper Ruud, the beaten French Open finalist last month, who plays France’s Laurent Lokoli.

Last on court One is Coco Gauff, seeded No 7 this year, who takes on fellow American Sofia Kenin.

The grass has been mowed, the lines have been painted, the brass polished, the champagne chilled and the strawberries are ready to be served…

Wimbledon 2023 is ready to go and it promises to be a fortnight with all manner of thrills.

The big question is whether anyone in the men’s draw can topple Novak Djokovic as he goes for that record 24th Grand Slam title. Perhaps Carlos Alcaraz, the exciting young Spaniard who seems to have adapted very nicely to grass?

Can Britain’s Cameron Norrie replicate last year’s storming run to the semi-finals?

Elena Rybakina won the ladies’ singles last year and will be considered among the favourites to win again alongside the Polish top seed Iga Swiatek and returning Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.

British hopes in that draw rest with Katie Boulter, who is in good form and at a career-high ranking, but maybe someone else can spring a surprise?

And 10 years on from his first Wimbledon triumph, Andy Murray returns and will be hoping to rekindle those magic memories with another run.

Our daily live blog will bring you all the latest scores and news, the best pictures and insight from our team of reporters down at SW19. Welcome along.

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