Five-time champion Venus Williams returned to Wimbledon a quarter of a century after her first win on the All England Club lawns but was unable to summon the old magic in a painful first-round defeat by Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.

Four-times defending champion and hot favourite Novak Djokovic began his record quest with a straight-sets Wimbledon victory over a willing but eventually outgunned Argentine Pedro Cachin on Centre Court.

Twenty-six years after Venus Williams made her Wimbledon debut.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz is the new big thing in men’s tennis but says Novak Djokovic remains the favourite to retain his Wimbledon title this month.

Daniil Medvedev has no doubt that Novak Djokovic is the greatest tennis player in history.

Madison Keys sent a warning shot to her Wimbledon rivals by winning the Eastbourne International crown in England for the second time, nine years after her initial victory.

Iga Swiatek pulled out of the Bad Homburg Open ahead of her semi-final match after the world number one said she had come down with fever and possible food poisoning.

Christopher Eubanks racked up 49 winners and saved five match points while posting a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9) victory over South African Lloyd Harris in the semifinals of the Mallorca Championships in Spain.

Fifth-seeded Coco Gauff breezed past No. 3 Jessica Pegula in an all-American quarterfinal match at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne, England.

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz fired a Wimbledon warning as he comfortably beat Alex de Minaur 6-4 6-4 to claim the Queen’s Club title and return to world number one.

Croatia’s Donna Vekic had to play twice but did not drop a set as she cruised into the German Open final with a 6-4 7-6(8) victory over world number eight Maria Sakkari of Greece.

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz reached the semi-finals at the Queen’s Club Championships with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov the Spaniard warms up for Wimbledon.