The Serbian world number one looked at ease on one of his favourite courts and dominated from start to finish on his way to a 6-0, 7-6, 6-4 win.

But the day's headlines rightly belonged to British outsider Willis, who had to come through six rounds of qualifying just to reach this stage, as he dispatched world number 54 Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 amid raucous applause on Court 17.

The triumph for the 25-year-old saw him become the lowest ranked player to progress to the second round since 1998 and he will now go up against seven-times Wimbledon winner Roger Federer.

The Swiss enjoyed serene progress as he beat Argentina's Guido Pella 7-6, 7-6, 6-3.

"Obviously it's an amazing dream come true," Willis said. 

"I get to play on a stadium court. 

"This is what I dreamed of when I was younger.

"I'm going to go out there and try to win the tennis match. 

"I probably won't. 

"I might not. 

"But I'm going to give everything, as I have the last seven matches."

Elsewhere on day one at the All England Club, Venus Williams, who has equalled Amy Frazier's record of appearing in 71 Grand Slams, is through after she ousted Croatian Donna Vekic 7-6, 6-4.

French Open champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain was made to work hard for her spot in the next round as she needed three sets to overcome Italy's Camila Giorgi 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

The two top seeded players in the men's draw to exit the competition at the first time of asking were South African Kevin Anderson and Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Anderson, seeded 20th, was beaten 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-3 by unfancied Uzbek Denis Istomin, while Kohlschreiber suffered a 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 loss at the hands of Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France.

The third Grand Slam of the Canada year continues tomorrow as home favourite and world number two Andy Murray gets his campaign up and running against fellow Brit Liam Broady.