Harriet Dart and Cameron Norrie both suffered first-round defeats at Wimbledon on Monday, in a chastening opening day for British hopes at the All England Club.
Dart Falls to Qualifier
Dart, the British No. 3, lost 6-3, 6-4 to the German qualifier Jule Niemeier on Court 12. The 25-year-old Dart, who reached the third round last year, struggled with her serve and was broken three times in the match. Niemeier, ranked 97th in the world, will face the 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the second round.
Norrie Outclassed by Moutet
Cameron Norrie, the British No. 1 and world No. 12, was beaten 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 by the French left-hander Corentin Moutet on Centre Court. Norrie, a semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 2022, never found his rhythm against Moutet's unorthodox style and made 35 unforced errors. Moutet will next play the Australian Alex de Minaur.
Other British Results
There were some bright spots for British tennis, as the wildcard Ryan Peniston defeated the Argentine Francisco Cerundolo in five sets, and the qualifier Lily Miyazaki beat the American Caty McNally. However, the losses of Dart and Norrie overshadowed those wins, leaving British hopes resting on the likes of Emma Raducanu, Dan Evans, and Andy Murray in the coming days.
According to the Lawn Tennis Association, this is the first time since 2019 that two British top-100 players have lost in the first round on the same day at Wimbledon.
