Former Wimbledon finalists Anisimova, Paolini, Pliskova all win on Day 2

Last time Amanda Anisimova stepped onto Centre Court at Wimbledon, she didn't win a game, falling 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek in the 2025 final. In her first match back at the All England Club on Tuesday, she won 12 of them.

The No. 6 seed needed just over an hour to dispatch history-making qualifier Lina Gjorcheska 6-3, 6-2. Gjorcheska became the first player from North Macedonia to compete in a Grand Slam main draw.

Anisimova said afterward that "the second she got [to Wimbledon]" this year, "[she] was flooded with great memories" -- even despite the way last year's final ended -- and she played like it.

"I felt like I did all of the things I wanted to do," she later told reporters.

"It's not like I started playing this match thinking about the final or anything last year," she continued. "I was just ready for my first round, preparing a lot for it."

She struck 17 winners in a polished 1-hour, 1-minute performance, never faced a break point and converted three of her four break-point opportunities.

"I stepped out and I was really excited to play, feeling really good," Anisimova said. "So I just wanted to see, you know, where my level is at and challenge myself out there, try to play my game and do all the things that I have been doing in practice."

Anisimova's victory highlighted a Day 2 schedule featuring three former Wimbledon finalists, with No. 13 seed Jasmine Paolini and former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova also in action.

Pliskova continues dominance of fellow Czechs against Valentova

Pliskova earned her 19th career Wimbledon main-draw win -- and first since 2022 -- with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against compatriot Tereza Valentova. It a match that continued a career trend for the two-time major finalist.

The 34-year-old now owns a 46-26 record professionally against fellow Czechs -- and that mark is now 20-7 against countrywoman younger than her.

The 1-hour and 15-minute affair on Court 4 went Pliskova's way by slim margins. One break decided each set -- Pliskova broke in the eighth game of each -- and the 2021 runner-up only faced on break point. That moment came at a crucial juncture in the first set, with Pliskova serving at 3-3. A punishing forehand winner by Pliskova erased Valentova's sole opportunity, and she claimed the last three games of the set.

She repeated that feat in set two, winning 12 of the last 13 points of the match.

Paolini cools off red-hot Montgomery

While Paolini came into her match against World No. 195 Robin Montgomery as the higher-ranked player, she could've been considered the underdog on current form. The Italian, struggling with a foot injury in recent weeks, came into the match just 12-12 this year and having lost her only match on grass ahead of the Championships.

The left-handed American, meanwhile, has soared back from a wrist injury this summer by winning her first tour-level title at the Libéma Open earlier this month. Three more wins in Wimbedon qualifying stretched her winning streak to nine.

And for the first half hour, all that was apparent. Montgomery won the first set 6-0 -- and looked like a first Top 20 victory was on the way -- before the Italian's patented fighting spirit burst forth. 

Just about two hours later, she wrapped up a 0-6, 6-4, 7-5 comeback by also coming from 4-2 down in the final set.