Wimbledon, England ? A homemade necklace proclaiming “Daddy Rocks” has replaced the thick gold chain and dangling earring Andre Agassi sported when he won Wimbledon in 1992. A shaved head glistens where tresses once flowed underneath a sponsor-touting ballcap.

And when Agassi stepped out Tuesday for the first match of his final Wimbledon, he lingered a moment, taking in the raucous standing ovation.

All the applause and whistles and hoots of good will got to him, so much so that Agassi played an awful opening set before righting his racket and beating 71st-ranked Boris Pashanski of Serbia, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3.

“To feel that sort of support – it just meant the world to me. I just wanted to do ’em proud,” Agassi said. “So I got a little nervous about trying too hard early, overhit a lot. Took me awhile to settle down.”

Long a crowd favorite, he’s drawing extra interest and adulation this fortnight. He missed Wimbledon the past two years due to injuries, and, more significantly, he announced Saturday he’d retire after the U.S. Open.

That made Agassi the focal point at the All England Club on a day filled with all manner of matches thanks to rain Monday that permitted only about 30 minutes of play. With bits of blue sky peering out between the clouds on Day 2, fans wandered the grounds to sneak peeks at star players everywhere.

Andre Agassi blows a kiss to the crowd after winning his first-round match. Agassi defeated Boris Pashanski, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3, on Tuesday at Wimbledon, England.

Among the winners were three-time defending champion Roger Federer, 1997 champion Martina Hingis, and Grand Slam champions Rafael Nadal, Marat Safin, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters.

Federer completed a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Richard Gasquet for his 42nd win in a row on grass, breaking Bjorn Borg’s record set in 1976-81.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” said Federer, who next faces four-time semifinalist and local favorite Tim Henman. “To get any streak is obviously nice. I’m still going, so even better.”

Federer worked only 37 minutes Tuesday; he led 6-3, 1-2 when action was suspended Monday. Hingis, who won Wimbledon at age 16 in 1997, also took a one-set lead into Tuesday, and she polished off Olga Savchuk of Ukraine, 6-2, 6-2. Hingis hadn’t played at Wimbledon since 2001; she was off the tour for three years because of assorted foot and ankle injuries before coming back full time in January.

Agassi came to Wimbledon having played one match the past three months because of back problems; he also missed the Australian Open because of an ankle injury.