Chinese players are no strangers to Mona Barthel's unrelenting drive as the 30-year-old German veteran has won all her previous 11 previous encounters with them. 

Zhu Lin was twice a victim, but that's history now.  

The world number 99 finally broke her duck at Wimbledon on Tuesday as she overcame a slow start after going a set behind to outclass Barthel 6-7, 6-3, 6-3. It represented another blow to Barthel, who was ranked as high as 23rd back in 2013 but has since gone downhill.  

For Zhu, it was a giant step forward as the 27-year-old registered her first win on her third appearance in the main draw at Wimbledon. Next up for her is the number 13 seed Elise Mertens, who will certainly offer a sterner test.

Earlier, the Belgian world number 16 made light work of British hope Harriet Dart in the first round, coming through 6-1, 6-3. Australia's world number one Ashleigh Barty also progressed after edging out Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1, 6-7 (1/7), 6-1. 

It was an emotional tie as Navarro has just recovered from cancer and Barty joined in the standing ovation for the Spaniard as she left the court. 

Meanwhile, Serena Williams's dreams of winning an eighth Wimbledon singles title ended in tears as she was forced to quit early in her first-round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus due to a leg injury. 

Arriving on court with her right thigh heavily strapped, the 39-year-old legend led 3-1 in the first set but slipped twice and it was obvious she had no option but to quit. It is the first time in 20 appearances that Williams has bowed out in the first round of Wimbledon.

"I was heartbroken to have to withdraw today after injuring my right leg," Williams said on Tuesday night via Instagram. 

"My love and gratitude are with the fans and the team who make being on Center Court so meaningful. Feeling the extraordinary warmth and support of the crowd today when I walked on – and off – the court meant the world to me." 

On the men's side, Roger Federer reached the second round after his French opponent Adrian Mannarino was forced to retire with a knee injury following a bad slip. 

"It's awful," said Federer in his on-court interview. "It shows that one shot can change the outcome of a match, a season, a career. I wish him all the best and I hope he recovers quickly so I can see him back on the courts because he could have won the match at the end. I definitely got a bit lucky but who cares about that? I wish him all the best."

Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev went through with a 6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3) win over Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, while fourth seed Alexander Zverev swatted aside Dutch qualifier Tallon Griekspoor 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in just 89 minutes. 

Zhang Zhizhen failed to make further inroads after becoming the first men's singles tennis player from the Chinese mainland to earn a spot in the main draw at Wimbledon. The 24-year-old slumped to a defeat at the hands of French qualifier Antoine Hoang 6-4, 6-7, 7-6, 3-6, 2-6.