Day Two of Wimbledon unfolded with soaring temperatures, rising tension — and a fresh wave of British success led by players with deep South West London roots.
While three of the tournament’s top women’s seeds crashed out in shock defeats, the home crowd roared as British players delivered one of their strongest Wimbledon openings in decades — with 14 Brits now through to Round 2, and several producing standout performances on Tuesday.
Draper cruises, Evans powers through, and Pinnington Jones makes his mark
Jack Draper, who grew up on the Roehampton circuit and honed his game in Putney, started his campaign with confidence and composure. He led Sebastián Báez 6–2, 6–2, 2–1 when the Argentine retired after a slip in the second set. Draper’s explosive performance — 25 winners and a 92% first-serve win rate — puts him on course for a high-octane second-round clash with 2014 US Open champion Marin Čilić.
Over on Court 12, Dan Evans — another South West London favourite with ties to Roehampton and regular training at the National Tennis Centre — returned to form, dispatching Jay Clarke 6–1, 7–5, 6–2. The 35-year-old wildcard delivered 14 winners in the final set and now faces a colossal challenge: Novak Djokovic in Round 2, the seven-time Wimbledon champion who sealed his place later on Tuesday.
Jack Pinnington Jones, a wildcard making his Wimbledon main draw debut, stunned former world No. 27 Tomás Martín Etcheverry in straight sets. The 22-year-old British hopeful — and recent Ilkley finalist — was dominant at the net, winning 26 of 34 points and coming back from a break down in the third set to seal a landmark victory.
Elsewhere: Global Shocks Rock the Women’s Draw
The day wasn’t just about local pride — Centre Court witnessed one of the biggest shocks in recent Grand Slam history:
- Coco Gauff, the world No.2 and reigning French Open champion, was stunned by Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska, 7–6(3), 6–1. Gauff’s nine double faults and 29 unforced errors sealed her fate against the world No.42 in a packed Court 1 showdown.
- Third seed Jessica Pegula fell to world No.116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto in straight sets.
- Olympic silver medallist and fifth seed Zheng Qinwen lost in three sets to Kateřina Siniaková, adding to a bloodbath among the women’s top seeds.
With three of the top five seeds now out, the women’s draw has opened up dramatically — offering an unexpected chance for unseeded stars like Emma Raducanu or Katie Boulter to go deep.
Order of Play – Wednesday 2 July: A Big Day for Brits
Centre Court
- Oliver Tarvet (Putney-trained wildcard) vs Carlos Alcaraz
- Emma Raducanu vs Markéta Vondroušová
No.1 Court
- Cameron Norrie (Putney resident) vs Frances Tiafoe
- Katie Boulter vs Solana Sierra
No.2 Court
- Billy Harris vs Nuno Borges
- Arthur Fery (King’s College Wimbledon, SW15 upbringing) vs Luciano Darderi
No.3 Court
- Sonay Kartal vs Viktoriya Tomova
Court 4
- Dan Evans & Henry Searle – Men’s Doubles First Round
Sun, Sweat and South West London Swagger
With temperatures touching 34 °C and the atmosphere crackling around the All England Club, Wimbledon 2025 feels electric. South West London is not just hosting the tournament — it’s helping shape it. Putney’s players are writing bold new chapters, and Wednesday could be the most thrilling yet.
