Azarenka the first to progress

29 June 2015 12:17

Former semi-finalist Victoria Azarenka coasted through her opening match at Wimbledon on Monday as she became the first woman through to the second round.

The 25-year-old Belarusian reached the last-four stage in 2011 and 2012, losing to Petra Kvitova and Serena Williams, and is the 23rd seed this year.

She is a former world number one, however, and overwhelmed Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-2 6-1 in just 57 minutes on Court 12.

Title favourite Serena Williams was heading into action in the opening match on Court One, as she played Russian Margarita Gasparyan.

Williams is targeting a calendar Grand Slam of all four majors in the same year, a feat last achieved by Steffi Graf in 1988, having already won the Australian Open and French Open.

Should Williams win Wimbledon for a sixth time, she would complete what she has dubbed a 'Serena Slam' for the second time in her career, as she would hold all four majors at the same time, having won last season's US Open.

Source: PA