On the hottest opening day in Wimbledon history, British tennis players delivered a sizzling performance that broke records and set a positive tone for the rest of the tournament. With the mercury climbing to 32.3°C, seven British players notched victories across the singles draws the most ever achieved by the host nation in a single day during the Open era.
The day began with an inspired performance from Sonay Kartal, who secured a landmark win over 20th seed and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko. Despite trailing 3-0 and 5-2 in the first set, Kartal staged a remarkable comeback to win 7-5, 2-6, 6-2. She held her nerve after a minor blip in the final set and expressed confidence in her current form on grass. Ranked No 51 after a meteoric rise in the past year, Kartal called the win her biggest yet and hoped it would motivate fellow Britons.
That motivation appeared to take hold. Katie Boulter, the final Briton on court, capped the day by overcoming former world No 2 Paula Badosa in a thrilling 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 battle on Centre Court. Boulter, determined to reverse a recent pattern of faltering after strong starts, maintained her aggression and composure to close out the historic win.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old wildcard Arthur Fery pulled off one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, toppling 20th seed Alexei Popyrin in four sets. The world No 461 was winless at Tour level before this match but displayed maturity and focus beyond his years, crediting past experiences for helping him stay calm under pressure. After battling injuries and ranking setbacks, Fery described the victory as a proud and emotional moment.
Also joining the winners’ circle was Oliver Tarvet, the lowest-ranked player in the draw at No 733. A US college student, Tarvet breezed past Switzerland’s Leandro Riedi in straight sets to earn a second-round date with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. He called the opportunity a dream come true and a culmination of years of effort.
Billy Harris added to the British tally with a commanding straight-sets win over Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic, while Cameron Norrie ground out a four-set victory against Roberto Bautista Agut. Emma Raducanu, one of the tournament favourites, contributed the sixth British win by defeating fellow Briton Mimi Xu 6-3, 6-3.
Though some British players fell in early action, the seven who triumphed delivered a powerful message of depth and promise. Their collective success marked not just a record-breaking moment, but a rare and radiant day for British tennis at the All England Club.
