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Djokovic, Serena win in record Wimbledon heat

 
Published July 1, 2015

LONDON — Down a break at 3-1 in the first set, defending champion Novak Djokovic kept his cool on the hottest day in Wimbledon history.

Running off 13 points in a row, Djokovic seized command and stayed in front the rest of the way on Centre Court as he beat Jarkko Nieminen 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the third round at the All England Club.

With temperatures soaring into the mid 90s, former champions Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova and French Open winner Stan Wawrinka also won in straights sets.

Exiting were fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori, who pulled out with a calf injury before his second-round match, and No. 7 Ana Ivanovic, who fell in straight sets to American qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Nieminen started fast, breaking serve in the opening game and going up 3-1. But the top-ranked Djokovic won the next three games, including two at love, and never let Nieminen — playing in his final Wimbledon before retirement — back into the match.

"He came out firing some incredible shots," said Djokovic, who also won the title in 2011 and is going for a ninth Grand Slam title. "He made, I think, four winners in the first game, four or five in the second game. He was a break up but I managed to regroup, play some good tennis and get the control on my side."

Players wrapped ice towels around their necks during changeovers and spectators used umbrellas to block out the sun.

The Met Office, Britain's official weather service, said temperatures reached 96.26 degrees at Kew Gardens, the closest observation site to the All England Club.

The previous record was 94.3 in the summer of 1976. The Met Office also said it was the hottest July day on record in London, with 98.1 recorded at Heathrow Airport.

Organizers kept the retractable roof over Centre Court closed in the morning to keep out the heat, then had it partially covering the spectators behind the baselines to give them shade.

Medical officials treated nearly 100 people by mid-afternoon for heat-related issues but no major incidents were reported. A ball boy collapsed during a match but was reportedly recovering well after treatment.

Most players said they weren't particularly bothered by the heat.

"People were talking about it and predicting really difficult conditions,'' Djokovic said. "But I didn't find it as difficult as I thought it might be."

Williams won her 23rd consecutive Grand Slam match, serving 12 aces in a 6-4, 6-1 win over Timea Babos.

"I hope I'm not playing my best. I have a lot of room to improve," said Williams, who next faces Heather Watson.

Wawrinka held serve throughout and beat Victor Estrella Burgos 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.

"Not my best tennis, but typical second round of a Grand Slam," Wawrinka said.

SOCK INJURED: Jack Sock revealed that he fractured his right middle finger during an opening-round loss. The Tampa resident tweeted a picture of the bandaged finger and wrote "fractured my finger during the match yesterday but going to battle in the dubs with my man (at)VasekPospisil." He and Pospisil reached the second round of the doubles tournament.