Jack Draper marked his first Wimbledon match as British men’s number one by evoking memories of Andy Murray with a five-set success under the Centre Court lights.
Draper, seeded 28th, started tentatively against Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer – and lost his way in the fourth set – before coming through to win 3-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3.
The 22-year-old replaced Murray in the evening slot on the iconic show court, with the former world number one having withdrawn through injury earlier on Tuesday.
Draper provided a timely pick-me-up for the home fans disappointed by Murray’s misfortune.
Making his return to Wimbledon after being injured himself last year, Draper celebrated clinching victory at 21:15 BST by whacking a ball into the jubilant crowd.
“I know you wanted to see Andy out here but you were stuck with me instead,” he joked.
“The crowd helped me massively. I love playing in front of loads of people. There were some nervy moments and I really appreciate the support, it means a lot.”
In round two, he will face Cameron Norrie – the player he deposed as Britain’s leading man last month.
Norrie, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2022, sealed a 7-5 7-5 6-3 win over Argentina’s Facundo Diaz Acosta shortly before Draper’s victory.
It ended a run of four successive tour-level defeats for Norrie, who has dropped outside the world’s top 40 after first-round defeats at the French Open, Queen’s and Eastbourne.
He and Draper were among 11 Britons playing on the second day of the 2024 Championships.
British number 13 Jacob Fearnley was the other notable home men’s winner as he set up a second-round encounter with seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.
The 22-year-old from Scotland, playing in his first Grand Slam match, battled to a 7-5 6-4 7-6 (14-12) victory over Spanish qualifier Alejandro Moro Canas.
But there were defeats for last year’s boys’ champion Henry Searle, Billy Harris, Paul Jubb and Jan Choinski.
Dan Evans, who was also a doubt for the tournament with a knee injury, trailed 6-2 3-3 against Chilean 24th seed Alejandro Tabilo when play was stopped because of bad light.
In the women’s singles, Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart both won – and will now play each other – to ensure five British women reached the second round for the first time since 1987.