Andy Murray’s absence failed to cast a shadow over the opening day of Wimbledon as the crowds who flocked to SW19 basked in scorching sunshine.
The mercury hit 29.1C, according to the Met Office, creating a challenge for spectators and players alike to keep cool.
By the time the gates opened at 10.30am to the 9,000 or so spectators in the queue, many had already been lined up without shade – and in some cases water – for hours.
Inside the ground, 250 bottles of sun block were sold during the day. It appeared that most spectators were heeding advice to drink plenty of water – extra water fountains have been installed this year – and make use of shade, although 22 people were treated for suspected heat-related conditions by 6pm.
As ever, the coolest man at Wimbledon was Roger Federer. He barely broke into a sweat as he opened his title defence with a routine straight-sets victory over Dušan Lajović that had the Centre Court crowd swooning.
Serena Williams seemed similarly unaffected. Returning after missing last year’s tournament because she was pregnant, she also won in straight sets, beating Arantxa Rus on No 1 court.
While the weather was a big talking point among fans, players generally seemed unperturbed. When the reigning US Open champion Sloane Stephens, a surprise first-round loser, was asked whether the conditions were to blame, she offered only that it was “bit windy”, while Venus Williams said simply: “I live in Florida.”
Up-and-coming Brit Harriet Dart, who put up a valiant performance against former world number one Karolína Plíšková, before succumbing in three sets after being hampered by injury, said she was not about to start moaning about the heat.
“We’ve been really fortunate with the weather,” she said. “Obviously the conditions play differently on the courts and stuff when it’s hotter.
“But ... I mean, everyone should be quite happy that it’s sunny. It’s quite rare in the UK that it’s hot, so you should embrace it.”
With Murray absent through injury and the respective British men’s and ladies number ones, Kyle Edmund and Johanna Konta, not in action until Tuesday, the opening day offered a chance for one of the lesser lights to make the headlines.
Unfortunately, it was not Liam Broady, who like Dart faced a tough draw, in his case playing Milos Raonic, the 13th seed and 2016 finalist. Broady pushed Raonic all the way in the first set but eventually lost 7-5 and only managed to win one more game in the final two sets.
However, there was some cheer for home supporters as British wildcard, 19-year-old Katie Swan, stunned the Romanian world number 36, Irina-Camelia Begu, ranked 168 places above her, 6-2, 6-2.
The temperature was considerably lower than the record of 45.5C on finals day in 1994.
Nevertheless, it prompted discussion of possible use of the heat rule, which allows a 10-minute break to be taken between the second and third set in ladies’ matches when the heat stress index is at or above 30.1C. It has only been implemented twice, in 2006 and 2009, having been introduced in 1992.
It remains a point of controversy that the rule is not available to the men but the All England Lawn Tennis Club says it is simply abiding by the respective rules of the women’s and men’s tours.
The Canadian player Peter Polansky suggested that matches should be stopped when the heat gets too high, in the same way as they are interrupted for rain – and that not to do so was unfair on the men.
Referring to the Australian Open, he said: “I almost died. When it gets to 35C plus it gets dangerous, especially with best of five sets.
“When it gets to a certain temperature they should just stop play, like a rain delay.”
He added: “Or maybe they should just make the girls play through that too.”
The former world No 1, Victoria Azarenka, said: “I had no idea they don’t have that option. I think the guys should get the same with the heat rule.”
• This article was amended on 3 July 2018. Milos Raonic was a finalist in 2016, not 2006 as an earlier version said.
