The first match on Court 3 at Wimbledon saw the Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert advance to the second round after Nick Kyrgios retired with injury down 6-3, 6-4.
Herbert grabs lone break
Having won the toss and elected to serve, Pierre-Hugues Herbert started out confidently, holding to 15 with a combination of good serves and powerful hitting. The Australian also held serve with ease showing good signs on serve with the score level early on, 1-1. The two continued to look good on serve in their next service game with only the one point being dropped as they looked equal at 2-2.
The Frenchman ranked number 70 did falter on serve, allowing Kyrgios to take a 15-30 lead. After missing the first serve, Herbert got into a rare mini-rally and forced the error from the 20th seed to get to 30-all. Two unreturnable first serves did the job for the Frenchman who edged out in front at 3-2.
Just like usual, Kyrios raced through his service game to quickly get back level at 3-3. Herbert, for the second time, looked in danger on serve, allowing Kyrgios to get to 30-all in the very next game. Just like earlier, he missed his first serve but rushed to the net to win the point and then again force the error to once more go ahead at 4-3.
For the first time in the match, the game went to deuce and having missed a chance to win the game, Kyrgios fell behind a break, the first of the entire match at advantage. The 26-year-old broke with the Australian going big out wide on his second serve and missing the line, 5-3. This left Herbert to serve for the set, which he did to love for 6-3.
Herbert wins second set; advances due to retirement
Having retired from his match against Young at Queen's two weeks, ago, Kyrgios began showing signs that his injury was taking the worst for wear as he was missing first serves but managed to get through his opening game. The Frenchman also hit a few first serves wide including a double fault but managed to keep in touch at 1-1.
In between points, the 22-year-old would walk slow and the third game saw him struggle, even more, allowing Herbert to get to deuce before closing out the game for 1-2. Having served 58% of serves in during the first set, the 26-year-old Frenchman was only growing stronger and began to up his levels, testing the injured Kyrgios who was having trouble breaking his opponent as they leveled again 2-2.
Both held serve once more, this time much more comfortable and the Aussie's injury took full effect in the seventh game. In danger down 15-30, Herbert lobbed the Aussie who made no attempts to chase it down and a break point arrived 15-40.
Kyrgios saved one with a thumping forehand winner but fell even further in trouble with an excellent return by Herbert who broke then consolidated for 5-3. The 22-year-old held serve for the final time as the 26-year-old held serve to love to win the second set 6-4. The Aussie brought the trainer out but then retired having failed to win a grass court match.