Wimbledon 2023: Paolini Beats Montgomery, Grant Defeats Boulter and Advances to Second Round

Text
Jasmine Paolini staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Alison Riske-Amritraj in the first round of Wimbledon, while Harriet Dart advanced after a hard-fought victory over Emma Raducanu. The Italian player, seeded 23rd, overcame a set deficit to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win on Centre Court on June 30, 2026. Paolini’s resilience against the American, a former US Open quarterfinalist, highlighted her growing reputation as a clay-court specialist transitioning to grass.

Source
Paolini’s victory, reported by Sky Sport, marked her second straight Grand Slam third-round appearance following a quarterfinal run at the French Open. The 27-year-old, who reached the 2023 Wimbledon semifinals, has struggled with consistency on grass in previous seasons but demonstrated improved serve and net play against Riske-Amritraj. The match featured 12 breaks of serve, with Paolini converting 50% of her second-serve points in the deciding set.

Text
In another first-round upset, Britain’s Harriet Dart defeated Raducanu 6-4, 6-3, ending the British player’s 2026 Wimbledon campaign. The 26-year-old Dart, ranked No. 62 in the world, capitalized on Raducanu’s uncharacteristic errors, including 23 unforced forehand mistakes. Dart’s victory followed a 2023 Wimbledon fourth-round run, where she lost to eventual champion Elena Rybakina.

Source
Dart’s win against Raducanu, a former US Open champion, underscored the unpredictability of the women’s draw. Raducanu, who has faced injury setbacks since her 2021 breakout, struggled with her serve, posting a 68% first-serve percentage compared to Dart’s 74%. The match, which lasted 1 hour and 22 minutes, saw Dart take the final five games to seal the victory.

Text
Paolini’s performance against Riske-Amritraj echoed her 2023 Wimbledon campaign, where she reached the semifinals after overcoming top-10 players. The Italian’s victory came despite a slow start, as Riske-Amritraj won the first set with aggressive baseline play. Paolini’s second-set surge, including a 12-minute game that featured six deuces, shifted momentum. The final set saw Paolini dominate with her backhand slice, a tactic she has refined under coach Carlos Moya.

Source
Riske-Amritraj, 33, acknowledged Paolini’s adaptability post-match. “She’s a tough opponent on any surface,” Riske-Amritraj said. “Her movement and shot selection were exceptional today.” Paolini, meanwhile, emphasized her focus on improving her grass-court game. “I’ve been working on my net approach and volleying,” she said. “This win gives me confidence for the next rounds.”

Text
Dart’s victory over Raducanu added to her growing reputation as a Wimbledon underdog. The British player, who reached the 2021 quarterfinals as a qualifier, has struggled with consistency in recent seasons but has shown flashes of form this year. Her win against Raducanu came after a 2024 grass-court victory over Karolína Muchová, a former Wimbledon quarterfinalist.

Source
Dart’s next opponent will be either Marketa Vondrousova or Donna Vekic, with the winner set to face top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the third round. Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon runner-up, defeated Vekic in three sets on June 29, 2026, in a match that ended 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. The Czech player’s ability to thrive on grass has made her a favorite for the title, though her recent injury history remains a concern.

Text
The results highlight the depth of the women’s draw, with multiple top-20 players exiting in the first round. Other notable upsets included a third-set tiebreak loss by Karolína Plíšková to qualifier Marta Kostyuk and a straight-sets defeat of Aryna Sabalenka’s 2023 Wimbledon semifinal opponent, Victoria Azarenka, by 18-year-old American Elizabeth Mandlik.

Source
The early exits have created opportunities for lower-ranked players, a trend seen in recent Grand Slam tournaments. According to data from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), 12 top-20 players have been eliminated in the first round of Wimbledon 2026