Eugenie Bouchard out in 1st round at Wimbledon

Last year's Wimbledon runner-up, Eugenie Bouchard, lost her opening match at this year's tournament, falling to Chinese qualifier Duan Ying-Ying 7-6 (3), 6-4 on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old from Westmount, Que., who had lost 10 of 11 matches in one stretch this year, also lost in the first round at the French Open.

Last year, Bouchard reached the semifinals at the first three Grand Slam tournaments of the season. She lost in last year's Wimbledon final to Petra Kvitova.

Bouchard, who served 10 double-faults on Tuesday, said she was still hampered by the abdominal injury that forced her to retire from last week's grass-court tournament in Eastbourne. She said she had been advised not to play at Wimbledon, but decided she couldn't pass up the chance.

"I felt very unprepared for this match," Bouchard said. "I hadn't practiced that much. My timing was off. ... It's not an excuse because I chose to play."

Bouchard, who was 12th ranked in the world and 12th in the tournament, will fall out of the top-20 in the WTA rankings with this latest defeat.  

A few minutes after Bouchard's defeat, the player she beat in last year's semifinals also was eliminated.

No.3 Simona Halep became the highest seeded player eliminated so far, tumbling 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to 106th-ranked Jana Cepelova of Slovakia. The Romanian, who also reached the French Open final last year, was treated for blisters on her left foot at the end of the first set.

On the men's side, fellow Canadian Vasek Popsisil rallied for a five-set victory over France's Vincent Millot 7-6, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3. 

Former champs move on 

Earlier, defending women's champion Petra Kvitova and former men's winners Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Rafael Nadal all won their first-round matches at Wimbledon in straight sets and in rapid-fire fashion.

In keeping with Wimbledon tradition, Kvitova had the honour of playing the first match on Centre Court on the second day as the reigning women's champion.

The second-seeded Czech wasted no time in reasserting her dominance on her favourite court, overpowering Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-0 in just 35 minutes.

Federer, the seven-time men's champion, followed Kvitova on Centre Court and also made quick work of his opponent. The second-seeded Swiss needed just 68 minutes to dispatch 88th-ranked Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.

Federer, bidding to become the first man to win eight Wimbledon titles, broke five times and never faced a break point.

"I was happy I played aggressive," he said. "I must say I'm very happy, always, to win like that."

Federer, who has won 17 Grand Slam titles, is playing in his 63rd consecutive major. 

Nadal, a two-time champion, coasted to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil on Court 1. He hopped in the air and pumped his fist after completing the victory.

"Here the feeling in Wimbledon is so special, and playing on grass, too," Nadal said. "So always is very emotional when you hit some good shots in this beautiful club."

Nadal, who lost in the first round of the Wimbledon warm-up at Queen's Club and has slipped to No. 10 in the rankings, was broken twice and was credited with fewer winners (21) than unforced errors (23) but still was never seriously troubled.

Hometown favourite Murray defeated Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4, 7-6, 6-4 advancing to Round 2.

​