Zhang Shuai of China returns a shot during the women's singles first round match against Caroline Garcia of France at the 2019 Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Britain, July 1, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Yan)
China's Zhang Shuai overwhelmed 23rd seed Caroline Garcia of France here on Monday in the first round of the women's singles at tennis Grand Slam Wimbledon Championships.
Zhang for the first time booked the second round ticket in her sixth trip to the Wimbledon women's singles main draw competition. The 30-year-old Chinese capitalized on two double-faults from Garcia to take the first set, paving her way to a straight sets win.
"It was indeed my best grass court performance today. I am really happy to win," said Zhang.
There were shocks aplenty on day one in the women's draw as Australian and US Open champion Naomi Osaka was beaten 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 by Kazakhstan's Yuila Puntintseva, and 15-year-old Coco Gauff defeated five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams.
The youngest competitor to qualify at the All England Club in the professional era, Gauff masterminded a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Williams, who at 39 was the oldest woman in the field.
Former world number one Simona Halep conquered Belarus' Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-4, 7-5 and third seed Karolina Pliskova is also through after defeating China's Zhu Lin 6-2, 7-6.
