No slipups from Novak as record quest begins

Coco crashes out

In the day's biggest shock, seventh-ranked Gauff slumped to a 6-4,4-6, 6-2 defeat to fellow American Sofia Kenin, who came through qualifying.

Gauff vowed to channel the frustration she felt into improving her game as she continues her quest for a Grand Slam breakthrough.

The resurgent Kenin, who won the 2020 Australian Open but had to come through qualifying to face Gauff, was the more confident of the pair of Americans, dictating play and pushing the teenager around the court at the All England Club.

"Right now I'm very frustrated and disappointed," said the 19-year-old Gauff following her first ever opening-round defeat at the grass-court major.

"So, yeah, I think it makes me want to work even harder. I feel like I have been working hard, but clearly it's not enough.

"I have to go back to the drawing board and see where I need to improve and how to do the right drills to do that."

Opponents have targeted Gauff's vulnerable forehand and she said she knows that shot needs work.

"Obviously my forehand," she said.

"Being more aggressive on those shots. I think I made too many errors on my forehand and backhand today."

Gauff also reckons she needs to do a better job of taking the fight to her opponent.

"I didn't really put too much pressure on her," she said.

"I felt like she could make a ball on the court, didn't have to be as good, and I wouldn't do much with it. That's what happened.

"If I played too passively, she has a game where she can hit aggressive shots."

Kenin, who was ranked as high as No 4 in the world back in March 2020 but is now 128th, called 2023 a "comeback year" for her and said she benefited from low expectations on Monday.

"When I was higher ranked and everything, people looked at me like I should win," Kenin said.

"I knew she'd be a bit more nervous because more pressure's on her than me. I just tried to use everything I could in this match to my advantage."