Defending champion Elena Rybakina booked her place in the Wimbledon third round but only after surviving a torrid second set against experienced Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, who needed a medical timeout after slipping late in Thursday's contest.

Novak Djokovic will play Stan Wawrinka for the 27th time in a storied rivalry when they clash on Friday but surprisingly they have never played each other on grass, let alone at Wimbledon.

The defending champion beat his unseeded Australian opponent 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5  to reach the third round, where he will meet Tomas Martin Etcheverry or Stan Wawrinka

Women's top seed Iga Swiatek outclassed Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-2, 6-0 and Daria Kasatkina thumped Jodie Burrage 6-0, 6-2 to reach the third round before organisers worked to clear the backlog of first-round matches.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz has warned Novak Djokovic he won't crack under pressure if the title rivals meet in the Wimbledon final.

Djokovic, 36, has only lost twice at Wimbledon in a decade and began the Centre Court programme with a 6-3 6-3 7-6(4) win over Argentine Pedro Cachin after a 70-minute delay despite the roof being closed as ground staff laboured to dry the turf

The roof was closed just after the Serbian seven-time champion wrapped up the first set 6-3 against Argentina's Pedro Cachin, with rain falling in southwest London on the opening day of the championships

The Swiss eight-time champion, who announced his retirement last September, will visit the scene of some of his greatest triumphs and be honoured before the start of play.

Last year's Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the tournament with a wrist injury, the Australian said on Sunday before the start of the grasscourt grand slam on Monday.

The 36-year-old Serb, who has won the last four titles at the All England Club, opens proceedings on Centre Court where he has not lost in 10 years.

Last year's Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios will not place any unfair expectations on himself, the Australian said on Sunday as he gears up for the Grand Slam with little preparation after a knee injury decimated the first half of his season.

Giant centre Han Xu sank 26 points as China stunned five-time defending champions Japan 73-71 Sunday to win their first women's Asia Cup basketball title in more than a decade.

American world number four Jessica Pegula said doing business with Saudi Arabia can help the WTA in its quest to ensure equal prize money but it will carefully evaluate following other sports to the Gulf state.

Djokovic racked up a men's record 23rd Grand Slam title with a third French Open triumph last month

Venus Williams insists she's not ready to call time on her career, claiming on Saturday she is probably the only player able to keep competing until she's 50.

The All England Club's lawns will be the focus of the tennis world over the next fortnight as the world's leading players battle opponents and often their own psychological demons

Novak Djokovic will begin his quest for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title against Argentina's Pedro Cachin, with a potential rematch of last year's final against Nick Kyrgios looming in the quarterfinals.

Beefed up security to prevent protesters disrupting the Wimbledon tennis championships has been put in place, organisers said on Thursday, a day after environmental protesters disrupted the Ashes cricket Test at Lord's.

The Kazakhstan player's 'celebration' after her defeat of Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in the final was so low key that it could have been a first round match at a routine WTA event

Veteran Feliciano Lopez watched the rise to greatness of fellow Spaniard Rafa Nadal at close quarters