Wimbledon 2023: Wild card Liam Broady conjures up magical win over Constant Lestienne

Lestienne is a part-time conjurer who performs at weddings and parties, but was unable to pull a rabbit out of the hat against British wild card Broady.

The 29-year-old from Stockport produced a spellbinding display to win 6-1 6-3 7-5.

Broady broke the world No 74 twice, either side of a brief rain delay, to race away with the first set in 27 minutes.

A pair of winners gave Broady another break and the advantage in the second.

Lestienne’s hopes vanished when Broady edged a nip-and-tuck third set to book his place in the second round in just over two hours.

Broady will face world No 4 Casper Ruud, probably on one of the show courts, tomorrow.

“Look, everybody wants to play Centre Court at Wimbledon,” he said. “That’s just what it is. It’s like playing a Champions League final. It’s just what you want to do.

“I’d happily play him on Court 12 out in the bullpen, on the outside of Centre Court as well. I’m not sure we’d have enough room on those back courts. It would probably be quite good.

“I’m playing the number four in the world second round of Wimbledon. I’ll play him back up in Stockport if I have to. I don’t mind.”

Jan Choinski followed Broady into the second round with a fine victory over Dusan Lajovic on his main draw debut at Wimbledon.

German-born Choinski, who is the son of a British ballet dancer, changed allegiances in 2019 and received a wild card into round one at the All England Club for the first time this year.

Choinski rewarded the faith placed in him with an impressive 5-7 7-6 (4) 6-2 6-2 win against the world number 56.

Warm applause greeted Choinski’s arrival on Court 17, but he was made to wait five minutes before Lajovic arrived.

When the Serbian did turn up, he was able to break world 164 Choinski immediately, only to see it wiped out in similarly quick time.

Lajovic did manage to edge the opener but it failed to deter Choinski.

An even second set went to a tie-breaker and Choinski managed to hold his nerve.

It boosted the confidence of the British number six and, backed on by a growing crowd, he moved two sets up when he claimed the third.

There was no looking back now, with Choinski able to break Lajovic twice more in the fourth set to secure himself a spot in round two after two hours and 35 minutes.

In the women’s draw, Jodie Burrage was left celebrating a first Wimbledon win.

Three years ago, 24-year-old Burrage contemplated hanging up her racket and going to university instead after undergoing a third ankle operation.

But a 6-1 6-3 win over American Caty McNally – her maiden success at SW19 after consecutive first-round exits – has likely catapulted the British wild card into the top 100 for the first time.

“I’ve dealt with a lot of injuries throughout my career, and a lot of people telling me that I couldn’t get to the top, that I wouldn’t be a player when I was younger,” she said.

“After my third ankle operation, my mind had decided that that was it. That was my tennis career done.

“But I somehow got back on the horse with help from family and friends, and my boyfriend as well, that really helped push through that not-so-nice time.

“To sit here saying I’ve won my first round at Wimbledon, hopefully going to be in the top 100 in two weeks, I was not expecting that, but I’m very happy that it’s happened.”

Harriet Dart was gutted she saved her worst for Wimbledon, beaten 6-7 (4) 6-0 6-4 by Frenchwoman Diane Parry in a disappointing display on Court 12.

It was a bitter blow considering the 26-year-old’s excellent form in the build-up to her home grand slam, having reached the quarter-finals in Nottingham and Birmingham.

She was not able to produce her best when it mattered on the big stage, though, and she was left with regrets.

“I felt pretty poor out there,” she admitted. “What’s amazing was I had a chance to win playing not great tennis.

“I still feel like I have so much to improve on.

“I’ve had a really good grass-court season. It’s just disappointing that my worst match of the grass-court season came here.”

An impressive serving display from Katie Swan was not enough to prevent her suffering a straight-sets defeat to 14th seed Belinda Bencic.

British No 6 Swan sent down 11 aces during a tight encounter on Court Two, but lost 7-5 6-2 in one hour and 35 minutes.

“It’s always a lot of fun playing in front of home support,” said Swan. “I had chances as well. Just didn’t play well enough in the big moments. There’s positives to take from it.”