Viktor Axelsen, top seed, displayed confidence on court against Kidambi Srikanth, securing a victory in straight games, 21-9 21-9, demonstrating that he’s here to win.

The Popov brothers also made their mark on the first day of this Super 1000 event. Despite losing their men’s doubles match against Kim Astrup/ Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, the duo found success in singles. Christo Popov won a nail-biting match against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu, winning 22-20, 17-21, 21-16, while Toma Junior Popov upset the reigning champion, China’s Li Shi Feng, with a straight-sets win, 21-17 21-13.

An all-English clash between Gregory and Jenny Mairs and Marcus Ellis/ Lauren Smith also captivated the Birmingham crowd, ending in a thrilling 19-21, 21-16, 22-20 victory for Ellis/ Smith.

The Round of 32 continues tomorrow, starting at 11am (CET).