Federer shares Wimbledon spotlight with world number 869 Ward

Seven-time champion Roger Federer will share the spotlight with Britain’s world number 869 Alex Ward at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Third seed Federer, 35, plays Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov in the third match on Centre Court at about 16:00 BST.

Ward, who came through qualifying, will face fellow Briton Kyle Edmund on court three at 11:30.

Women’s top seed Angelique Kerber opens play on Centre Court at 13:00 against American Irina Falconi.

When that match finishes, second seed and three-time champion Novak Djokovic takes on Martin Klizan of Slovakia.

Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, the beaten finalist last year, plays Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening match on Court One at 13:00.

That match will be followed by Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova facing Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina, and Austrian eighth seed Dominic Thiem taking on Canada’s Vasek Pospisil.

Britain’s James Ward, Brydan Klein and Katie Boulter are also in action on day two.

• Tuesday’s order of play at Wimbledon

My mum was crying last year – Ward

Ward received a wildcard into the main draw last year but slipped down the rankings from a high of 242 after six months out with a wrist injury, and has had a remarkable journey back to the All England Club.

He had to play in pre-qualifying for this year’s Wimbledon, and actually lost in the final round, but was handed a lucky loser spot into qualifying and took full advantage.

“I do feel on cloud nine,” the 27-year-old told BBC Sport.

“I remember last year, my mum came to watch and that was the first time I’d played in the main draw and she walked through the gates with me and was crying straight away. She was really proud.”

Ward will face a friend, and a tough challenge, when he steps on court against Edmund, the world number 50.

“I know Kyle pretty well,” said Ward.

“We’ve trained together quite a few times, been on a few trips. He’s a great player and is doing really well at establishing himself, a top-50 player now. I just can’t wait to get out there.”

‘Aggressive’ Federer the favourite

Federer begins his 19th Wimbledon one month sort of his 36th birthday and, remarkably, as the bookmakers’ favourite once again.

The Swiss last won the title in 2012 but has been a rejuvenated figure in 2017, winning his 18th major title at the Australian Open and sweeping all before him with an ultra-attacking attitude.

“I don’t want to be at the mercy of my opponent,” said Federer.

“I want to take charge, play aggressive myself. So for that I need to be fast on my feet and quick in my mind.”

Dolgopolov, 28, will pose a significant test for the opening round as a former world number 13, who plays with an unusual mix of pace and spin.

Kerber, last year’s runner-up, returns to Wimbledon as the top seed and reigning US Open champion, but the German’s form has deserted her in 2017.

She opens play on Centre Court in the absence of defending champion Serena Williams, who is awaiting the birth of her first child, but few see Kerber as a title contender.

Pliskova appears a more likely winner, despite never having been past the second round in five attempts.

Pliskova had a Tour-leading 286 aces to her name coming into Wimbledon and won the warm-up tournament in Eastbourne to establish her grass-court credentials.

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'I've had an ice bath every night to be fit for Wimbledon'

It’s lucky I don’t mind an ice bath because I’ve been having one before bed every night just to make sure I’m fit and ready for Wimbledon.

There have been a few changes to my routine since my hip started feeling sore last week but thankfully they seem to have done the trick.

My team have given me a few different exercises to do during the day when we’re together, and also at home in the evening.

It’s probably about 20 minutes of extra stuff, so 8-10 minutes in the ice bath and 8-10 minutes of exercises just to strengthen the hip.

That means two freezing cold dips a day – one at Wimbledon and one in my ice bath at home before bed.

It might not be everyone’s ideal preparation for a good night’s sleep, but fortunately I’ve got used to plunging myself into ice-cold water over the years and I don’t mind it, I’m OK.

‘I can’t compete at Wimbledon if I feel like that’

I’ve had a sore hip for a long time off and on, since I was 22 or 23, so it’s nothing new for me, but a couple of days after I played Stan Wawrinka at the French Open it felt pretty sore.

That’s no great surprise after a match like that, but each day I was practising on the grass it wasn’t really feeling better, it was getting worse.

Obviously I then didn’t play particularly well at Queen’s, losing in the first round.

I wasn’t feeling great, went back to practising and I was like, ‘Guys, I can’t keep doing this. I need to take a few days’ break because it’s getting worse and it’s affecting how I’m playing and performing in practice. I can’t compete at Wimbledon if I feel like that.’

We just decided to take a few days to look after it, get it treated and give me the best chance to be fit for Wimbledon.

I feel much better, it was a good decision. It’s lucky we made it when we did on Tuesday morning. If I’d waited and practised again on Wednesday or Thursday, it would have been a big mistake, so the timing actually worked out pretty well.

‘I’ve never had that happen during a match’

Alexander Bublik was a new opponent for me in my first-round match, and not an easy guy to play, because he really goes for it. He’s definitely a bit different.

I’ve played well over 600 matches and I don’t remember ever discussing a match with my opponent while it’s still going on, but that’s what happened during the rain delay.

When I beat Jarkko Nieminen in 2010, we met the Queen afterwards as she was visiting Wimbledon, and while Jarkko and I were waiting together we chatted a bit about the match.

And when I beat Jurgen Melzer at the US Open in 2008, we passed each other after showering and he initiated a chat about the match.

But that’s it, as far as I can remember. I’ve never had that happen during a match, and it’s pretty rare for it to happen soon after as well. Maybe sometimes a few weeks later but not mid-match.

I asked Bublik what he thought of Centre Court and whether he liked the grass, and we even discussed how many double faults he’d served.

He’s a fun guy and entertaining, which is good for the game.

‘Dustin Brown will be a different test’

I left home at about 7.50am on Monday morning and drove myself to Wimbledon for about 8.30am.

It’s something I’ve done so many times before, both during the Championships and throughout the rest of the year, that it feels completely normal.

Obviously there were a few more nerves heading into the start of Wimbledon but I try not to do anything different on the Sunday night.

I just try to get home nice and early and relax, watch a bit of TV, do my exercises, maybe look at some videos and try to learn a little bit more about my opponent, and think a little bit about the match before bed.

Now I’m into the tournament I can get into the rhythm of matchday, practice day. Next up is Dustin Brown and on Tuesday I’ll work on some of the things I might need to use against him.

That will be a different test because although he is also unpredictable, Dustin serve-volleys pretty much every first and second serve on grass courts, comes in behind returns and gets into the net a lot.

I’ll need to pass well, so will work on that as well as my lobs.

It should be a good match to watch but although I get on well with Dustin, and he’s a great guy, I doubt we’ll be stopping halfway through to discuss how it’s going.

Andy Murray was talking to BBC Sport’s Piers Newbery

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Djokovic Discusses Ancic Addition Wimbledon 2017

Djokovic Discusses Ancic Addition Wimbledon 2017

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Watch: Bedene's two stunners seal incredible win over Karlovic

Aljaz Bedene plays two stunning returns to seal victory against Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic in a five-set epic at Wimbledon 2017.

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Konta races through Wimbledon opener – highlights & report

British number one Johanna Konta won only her second match in the Wimbledon main draw as she beat Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Su-Wei in the first round.

Sixth seed Konta, 26, secured a 6-2 6-2 victory against the player who beat her at the French Open in May.

She showed few signs of a back injury which forced her to pull out of her Eastbourne semi-final last week.

Konta will face Croatia’s Donna Vekic, who beat her at Nottingham last month, or Russia’s Natalia Vikhlyantseva.

Konta needed little over an hour to power past Hsieh, breaking the world number 113’s serve five times in a routine win.

“I’m very happy to come through that. She is a tricky player on any surface,” said Konta.

“She beat me at the French Open and I was looking forward to playing her again to try and beat her.”

Konta looking to end barren British run

Konta is the first British woman to be ranked in the top 10 at Wimbledon since 1984, raising hopes she can become the first home player to win the ladies’ singles title since Virginia Wade in 1977.

Konta’s form on the grass has been largely positive this year – she reached the Nottingham Open final, and made the last four at Eastbourne last week.

But between those two tournaments she struggled in a heavy defeat by American Coco Vandeweghe in Birmingham.

There had been doubts about her fitness after her heavy fall in Eastbourne, but she came through a practice session on Sunday and had no problems with her movement or power on Monday.

With a wide-open draw missing the pregnant Serena Williams, the Briton is one of several names being talked up as a contender.

However, she had won only one main-draw match at the All England Club, beating Monica Puig before losing in last year’s second round to 2014 finalist Eugenie Bouchard.

After missing two break points in the opening game, Konta punished Hsieh’s serve in the third game but showed a brief moment of nerves when she allowed the Taiwanese player to fight back from 40-0 to level.

Konta put that behind her quickly, taking Hsieh’s serve again in the next game and then going a double break up at 5-3.

She served out the opening set in style, stooping for a cross-court forehand winner that clinched the set in little over half an hour.

Konta raced through the second set as she moved a double break up to lead 5-1, missing two match points before serving out an easy victory with an ace down the middle.

“It is massive compliment that the fans have expectations that I can do well,” she told BBC Sport.

“I’m working hard to be performing at my best level and I’m aiming to be here for the full fortnight.”

Analysis – ‘Konta was very business-like’

Former British number one Annabel Croft:

“It was a very business-like performance from Johanna Konta and her team will be pleased with that.

“Konta was fairly consistent and that will come together more as she goes through the tournament.

“She served well, had a very good second serve, her backhand was rock solid.

“All in all I thought it was a very good performance.”

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Time Runs Out For Disappointed Kyrgios

Time Runs Out For Disappointed Kyrgios

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Wimbledon 2017: Venus Williams cries after beating Elise Mertens

Venus Williams has broken down in tears at a post-match Wimbledon news conference when questioned about her emotions regarding a potential wrongful death lawsuit from the family of a man who died in a Florida car crash.

The five-time champion, 37, had secured a 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 victory over Elise Mertens, 21-year-old Belgian, playing her first Wimbledon.

When probed she said: “There are no words to describe how devastating, I’m completely speechless,” before crying.

She left the room and composed herself before returning to answer another couple of questions on the match.

According to police Williams was at fault for the traffic accident, which caused the death of Jerome Barson, 78.

She said earlier in the news conference: “Tennis is still the love of my life. It gives me joy.

“Life, you can’t prepare for everything. I can prepare for matches and what opponents will throw at you. But I have no idea what tomorrow will bring.”

Williams needed five set points before taking the first-set.

A rain delay on Court One then halted the progress of the American 10th seed after Mertens saved two match points.

Mertens held and saved a further two match points before Williams produced an emphatic smash to secure victory.

“Venus has got to be pleased to get that done and dusted,” said former British number one Annabel Croft, commentating for BBC television.

“I don’t think it was the best level we’ve seen from her but certainly for her first match on grass this season, it was a very good start.”

• Follow live coverage of Wimbledon day one
• Live scores and schedule
• Britain’s Robson beaten in straight sets

Williams, making her 20th appearance at Wimbledon, opted against playing in a grass court warm-up event since her fourth-round defeat at the French Open.

She easily beat Mertens 6-3 6-1 in the third round at Roland Garros, but they were evenly matched in an entertaining first set before the Wimbledon debutant sliced a backhand into the net to settle the tie-break.

The American took control with three straight games to lead 4-2 in the second set, keeping her composure after Mertens’ late resistance and the rain break to set up a second round tie against Wang Qiang of China, who beat Chang Kai-chen of Taiwan 6-3 6-4.

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Shapovalov Ready To Savour Wimbledon Debut 2017

Shapovalov Ready To Savour Wimbledon Debut 2017

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Murray gets special message – from Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig has a rather unique good luck message for Andy Murray.

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Del Potro: 'The Fantastic Four' Are Wimbledon Favourites

Del Potro: 'The Fantastic Four' Are Wimbledon Favourites

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