Episode 1 Wimbledon Sportsday

Now on BBC News it's time for Sportsday.

Hello and welcome to Wimbledon Sportsday,

Opening the show: Andy Murray raises the Centre Court curtain and begins

the defence of his title with an easy win.

The British women's number one Johanna Konta

And we'll wrap up the rest of the day's action,

including an emotional Venus Williams following

Also coming on in the programme, we'll bring you the rest

of the day's sports news as John Terry signs for Championship

side Aston Villa, pledging to get them back into the Premier League

-- the crowds enjoying Johanna Konta, we haven't needed the roof

for the rain except for a couple of moments. The Andy Murray was the

first to step out onto the manicured turf.

Hip injuries, elbow strains, shingles and flu -

its not been the easiest of years for the World Number one.

But as defending Champion, he had the honour of opening the show -

And so begins the most quintessentially British fortnight

of the British summer. Fancy dress, queueing and Andy Murray. How would

his hip injury play against a player known as unpredictable style? Just

fine. The Murray shows... This was tennis in

the fast lane. COMMENTATOR: There's a little bit of good fortune in that

but there's even more superb touch. And it wasn't just the next where

Murray excelled in bruising to the two sets, but Wimbledon wouldn't be

Wimbledon without the British weather saying hello. Cherished by

some more than others. It was the only respite Murray's opponent would

take as he was in no mood to do easy on the debutante. He went straight

sets straightforward defending champion through. I steal pretty

good. The last few days, I was feeling better each day. Getting out

and the match court is a little bit different, the intensity is a little

bit hard but the adrenaline and stuff, it sort of helps and numbs

some pain that you have. I moved well today, and I thought I did

pretty well for a first match. German Dustin Brown awaits in the

second round. If only the next two weeks prove this simple formality.

-- simple for Murray. I'm joined by Miles McLachlan who

used to coat Murray and knows him inside out. What do make a first

performance? I think it was a good performance. I don't think any of

the big names are looking to play their best tennis in the first

round. But considering what he's been through, he hasn't played much

grass court tennis, it's about getting out there. They opponent was

tricky, there were some big serve and big hitting. They are playing as

players who know they have to play the game of their lives, backs

against the wall. He will be happy with the way he came through, with

those hip issues we were talking about, it will be in important to

get to the matches as easily as possible. He needs to spend time

covering. We were talking about the hip the

of the championship. How it with cameras following him? How did he

bore up to the pressure on Centre Court? He looked good moving around.

Finally enough, when you see him walking around normally, you

wouldn't think he's one of the best athletes we have. It is quite clumsy

isn't a? A bit stiff with the wall. Once the point starts, he's

Electric. So much progress was made. As with any tournament, having a

local favourite. We desperately want to play. Most of the carrot jab

players are -- most players are carrying some

kind of injury. He didn't go out as much as he liked to. The rest of his

body was fresher vote, which could be good. Given the lack of grass

court practice, it's a bit much to ask him to pull off a third

Wimbledon title? Are we expecting too much? We can expect a lot of

him. He is a great player. I think Roger Federer, Nadal, our famous

because of the form they have shown this year, there are in great mental

state, winning a lot of matches. But Andy has been around a lot, and is

reluctant to play against them, the same goes for Novak Djokovic. They

are great champions come and they won't take it to the quarterfinals,

almost the a equivalent of getting to the victim of winning a match.

He's done it before, I wouldn't put it past them. Don't write off Andy

Murray. We look forward to as much against Dustin Brown who will be a

bit of a bigger test, ranked 97. He knocked out Rafa Nadal here earlier.

Let's go to Court Number One, Johanna Konta is up against Jey

Su-Wei, the same player who knocked her out in the first round against

Roland Garros. Johanna Konta is a set up and a break in the second as

well, 2-1 to the British number one on Court One behind us. What have

you made a Johanna Konta's form, what is going on with injury? She

had a holeable fall at Eastbourne last week. She finished the match.

She beat the French champion early in the morning. She was two points

of the end, she went out from underneath, landed on her back, and

visible out. -- had to pull out. The women possibly draw is wide open and

she is definitely one of the mains in the equation. A game suits the

glass. -- her game suits the grass. But she

hasn't had to deal with the pressure in the later stages. She has always

struggled at Wimbledon with the pressure and scrutiny? It's only

really in the last year and a half that she has become the level of

player she is now. She hasn't had the years of building up to it that

maybe Andy Murray did before he actually got the title. He was in

and around the mix for four or six years. Feeling what it was like. If

Johanna Konta does get later, we will see how she deals with it.

She's turned herself from a good pro and anti a top player whose changing

her mental state of mind. What she has done so far again, has been

impressive. I wouldn't rule out the later stages. The women's draw wide

open. Thank you for coming here and sharing your thoughts on day one.

I'm sure we will speak to you later in the full fortnight.

All in all - 12 British players started in the singles draw this

year - but we've got just ten left standing - Joe Lynskey

can bring us up to date with the rest of the Brits.

With Wimbledon tradition comes British optimism. Tucked away from

Centre Court splendour, our players seeking their own kind of Grand Slam

victory. Laura Robson is still on a journey back to her best. Four years

ago, she was in the world top 30 and ad court 18, she showed flashes of

why. But the Briton's battles with injury has brought inconsistency.

Law were going to the shop but missing the target again. The errors

were straightforward for her opponent, Lawlor once made the last

16 year hill but she wants to get the consistency back. I'm

disappointed. I don't figure played my best tennis. Frustrating but I

can loosen up at the back, I'm frustrated, I let myself down.

Nerves and the court can bring you feel or freedom. And Cameron

Norrie's first day, facing the top seed can prove daunting. But

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga knows the way past even the best opponent. Rather

unfortunately for Cameron Norrie, I get the

feeling he's starting to enjoy himself. A fearless first outing

will set him up next year. At 38: Ivo Karlovic has a secret to his

longevity, his search. The Slovenian born

Game. For Heather Watson, things looked straightforward. She raced

the first set against her opponent, and doesn't know straws in on day

one, there was plenty of reason for British optimism.

Broody and Watson still going out on the court. We'll bring you the

scores as they come in. One of the stories of the tournament

- the return of Petra Kvitova. A two time Champion here,

she's missed six months of tennis, after she was she was the victim

of a knife attack in her own home Tendons in her hand were severed,

and she thought she may But she's back -

and today she played Sweden's Johanna Larrson on Centre

Court. Just being at Wimbledon, Petra

Kvitova said, was winning. It's been a turbulent six months. They welcome

return to the place she calls a second home. Yet in familiar

surroundings there was still an obvious pair of trepidation. Not the

feel, I can understand that all that happened with her left hand. But the

nerves soon disappeared, and a full array of shots were back

-- shots were full on offer. She flipped the switch so quickly. She's

a different player. She got back to what she does best, fully charged.

The first set was seen her, now playing with a beaming smile on her

face, everything was falling into place. More and more of the same

from Petra Kvitova. That's gorgeous. The injury having little effect now.

Magnificent. Full stretch, full control. For those thinking this

will be a procession, think again. Larson reminding all what she

possessed. While she kept the match competitive, there was only ever

going to be one winner. She's done it. My motivation was a big

motivation to come back here and play. It happened in the drink it

came through, I was able to play here again. Every matches is said,

would be like a final. And the might just be a few more of those yet to

come. Petra Kvitova, always at a popular

champion here. Wouldn't it be amazing if she came back a knife

attack, just a dreadful thing to happen, to win the Wimbledon title

for a third time? We will keep an eye on how to get on over the

fortnight. Let's round up some of the other

results today, starting with the number two seed

in the women's draw, Simona Halep. She's through to the second

round after a straight sets victory Halep took a tight first set 6-4,

but found the going much easier in the second,

winning it 6-1. The Romanian could end

the tournament as world number one, if she reaches the quarter finals

and other results go her way. Just trying to be focused, to keep

the same attitude and the same mentality going, just for the only

one match that I have to play, not thinking far. So am not thinking

about the result and they have no expectations, I am just trying to

work hard every day and to keep the same routine.

There was a victory today for former champion Rafael Nadal who beat

Millman to earn his 850th career win. He is going for a 16th Grand

Slam title. The important thing is I am through.

Three years without having the match on grass, so I'm having a very

positive starter thing. I have some positive feelings and I'm happy with

how I started the match. The enigmatic Australian Nick

Kyrgios is out though. He was struggling with injury coming

into Wimbledon after suffering a fall at Queen's and looked

uncomfortable against Kyrgios lost the first two

sets before retiring. But there were few problems for

Japan's ninth seed Kei Nishikori, who overwhelmed his opponent Marco

Cecchinato. The Italian managed to win two

games in the first set, but that was as good as it got

for him as Nishikori breezed through Just one more notable

result to bring you. There's no Serena at

the Championships this year of course, but Venus Williams

is here and she had to work hard to dispatch her first round opponent

Elise Mertens of Belgium. The American won the first set

on a tie break, and eventually wrapped up a straight sets win

by taking the second 6-4. Now, last month Venus was involved

in a fatal car crash and was asked about it in her post

match press conference. There's really no words

to describe how devastating... Venus Williams visibly distressed.

She did come back and answer a couple of questions about her much

but she will be asked the fatal car crash in Florida just a few weeks

ago. Just one of the big stories

of the Championships - another is security -

The Championships this year come on the back of recent

terror attacks in London, meaning security has been

an even bigger priority for Chief Executive Richard Lewis

and his team at For obvious reasons, security is

high on the agenda. And the only visible change from last year, the

vehicle blog protecting people in the queue. That is for obvious

reasons given recent terrorist attack. Other measures increased and

enhance behind-the-scenes, below the radar. Wimbledon has always had a

strong security system and is no different this year. This year it's

as much as anything about reassurance that people are worried

about security, and we need to persuade that all the measures in

place are in place. We have a great relationship with the security

services and we are confident about the robust measures in place. You

said people are worried are you worried about it given recent

events? No more than any other year. We have lived for an era in many

years security is the number one issue. That is the first thing you

put in place, beyond anything else. No more so than any other year. Is

that every group of people spoken to in the last week or two have

mentioned security, rightly so. We want public to be vigilant and

support anything suspicious, that's part of a good security system. In

that sense even that doesn't worry me. But part of what we are

messaging this year is reassurance, we have a good security system in

place and people should feel very confident when they are here.

It's hard to believe, but Wimbledon isn't the only story in town.

Let's round up some of the day's other sports news,

Former Chelsea captain John Terry has joined Aston Villa,

Terry became a free agent after being released by Chelsea

and had been linked with the move to the Midlands

for a while, with interest also from Birmingham City.

But Villa always looked the likely destination

a picture of himself playing golf with mnager Steve Bruce last month.

He'll aim to help Villa get back into the Premier League

The history is huge, the stadium itself,

the training ground, the facilities here.

When you look back at the players who've been

here in the trophies behind us as we speak today, incredible.

Here is a big football club, and it deserves to be back

Slovakian world champion Peter Sagan won Stage three

of the Tour de France, after a 126-mile stage that started

in Belgium and finished at Longwy in France.

Britain's Geraint Thomas finished eighth today

to extend his race lead to 12 seconds, after the rest of the top

six failed to finish in the main bunch.

Which means his team leader, Chris Froome,

And South Africa will be without their captain Faf Du Plessis

for the opening Test match against England at Lords.

He returned home for the birth of his first child and won't be back

in time for the match which gets under way on Thursday.

In the last few minutes, Formula 1's governing body has announced it is

to take no further action against Sebastian Vettel, before time -- the

four-time winner collided with Lewis Hamilton at the Grand

he was given a penalty at the time. Another big tour going on the other

side of the world. Let's get the latest

from the British and Irish Lions camp as they prepare for the series

deciding third test Following their narrow win

at the weekend, they've headed After what has been a tense,

physically demanding tour for the Lions, they have decided to take a

break and spend some days here in the picturesque setting of

Queenstown on the South Island, in the shadow of the Southern Alps for

some much-needed respite. And there been boosted by the news by Sean

O'Brien has had his penalty dismissed.

The claim of dangerous play has been dismissed. We heard Graham Rowntree

speaking yesterday saying O'Brien is the barometer energy and aggression

in their side. He had a great game in the second test. That news

follows very different news for the all Blacks. They found Williams,

their centre has been banned for four weeks for dangerous play. He

sold a charged Anthony Watson in the second test. After his hearing, he

said he was disappointed and let his brothers down. The all Black house

and changes to make ahead of the decider at Eden Park, all eyes there

on Saturday for the decisive third test.

No rest here though for the top players at Wimbledon. Let's go live

to the pictures on Court One. Johanna Konta is serving for the

match, to win her first round match against Jey Su-Wei of Chinese

Taipei, the girl who knocked her out in the first round of the French

Open at Roland Garros just five weeks ago. Here they are. Pitted

against each other once again. In the opening round at Wimbledon.

Johanna Konta much happier and more comfortable on the

-- on the grass and she is serving just buying me on Court One. Johanna

Konta looking like she should quite easily dispatch with Jey Su-Wei.

Let's Heather Watson is getting on. She did brilliantly at is born and

is looking get here. This could have been a tight match, they are one

place apart in the world rankings at 117 and 118 respectively. This is

Heather Watson serving for the match, out on Court Two. There has

been loads of great British tennis for the crowd here on Henman Hill to

cheer. Let's have a quick look at another Brit in action, the British

number four Annis. Against the giant from Croatia, six foot 11 and with

one of the fastest serves in tennis. Play has resumed there. He just

narrowly lost the third set. Karlovic is the world record holder

in aces, has whacked down over 12,000 aces in his career.

He's doing his best to add to Karlovic 's tally. British hopes

going pretty well here at Wimbledon on the first day. Konta and Watson

both serving well in their matches. I can tell you before we go that

Johanna Konta has just beaten Jey Su-Wei of Chinese Taipei, she is

safely through to the second round. Thank you for watching, we'll be

back on BBC News with another slice of summer from SW19. Goodbye.

MUSIC: Nothing Holding Me Back by Shawn Mendes