Murray on course

World number one Murray was sharp at the net, winning 29 of 37 points to seal the victory. He will meet German Dustin Brown in the second round. Five-times Wimbledon champion Venus Williams booked a second-round spot with a 7-6(7) 6-4 win over Belgium’s Elise Mertens.

World number 54 Mertens was aggressive during the opening set but failed to control the mounting tally of unforced errors in the second, losing to the 37-year-old American in an hour and 39 minutes on Court One. 

Japan’s Kei Nishikori breezed through his firstround clash with Italy’s Marco Cecchinato 6-2, 6-2, 6-0, demolishing an opponent who was playing his first senior-level match on grass. The ninth seed did not disappoint the legion of Japanese fans who gave him a hero’s welcome as he walked on to Court Twelve, outclassing his rival from the first point when he powered a backhand winner down the line.

Cecchinato, ranked 102nd, could not handle Nishikori’s thundering drives off both wings, with the 24-year-old Italian’s one-handed backhand proving particularly fragile. Nishikori, 27, showed off his full repertoire of shots in a faultless third set which he peppered with delicate drop shots and ended with an emphatic volley. 

Twice Wimbledon semi-finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga breezed into the second round with a 6-3 6-2 6-2 victory over British wildcard Cameron Norrie. Tsonga, the 12th seed, was dumped out in the second round last year but was never forced out of second gear as he swatted Norrie aside on Court Two.

The Frenchman began in his usual languid fashion before cranking up the pressure to break twice and take the first set against the South African-born Norrie, who has only recorded one tour-level victory. While Norrie had weapons, principally a decent serve and a whip-crack forehand, they were all too often firing off target, allowing Tsonga to move through the gears at key moments. 

The match became increasingly one-sided in the second set as Norrie double-faulted to hand Tsonga a break in the sixth game before tamely netting a backhand to fall two sets behind. Tsonga broke twice again in the third set to wrap up victory in one hour and 23 minutes.