Novak Djokovic delivered a commanding performance to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 under the Centre Court roof on Wednesday, advancing to the Wimbledon third round for the 20th time. The 39-year-old Serb showcased his clinical best, winning 88 percent of points behind his first serve and saving all five break points he faced.
Djokovic's Dominance Over Tsitsipas
Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, secured his 12th consecutive victory over Tsitsipas, who has slipped to 87th in the ATP rankings after reaching two Grand Slam finals. The Greek star failed to reach the third round of a major since the 2024 French Open quarter-finals. Djokovic broke serve once in each of the first two sets before dominating the third with a full array of shots, smashing 33 winners and committing only seven unforced errors.
Vintage Performance and Age Defying
When asked about his "vintage" performance, Djokovic said: "I like the terminology 'vintage', it brings back the best days and you feel very satisfied and joyful on the court when you're playing this way." He is bidding to become the oldest player to win a men's Grand Slam singles title in the Open era. "I try not to take these moments for granted playing on Centre Court of a childhood dream tournament," he added. "I feel very privileged to be walking out on the court at age 30 plus and I don't think it's a cliche, I actually believe age is just a number, I think it's true."
Road Ahead and Title Contention
Djokovic will next face French 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech on Friday for a place in the second week. Title favourite Jannik Sinner, in the same half of the draw, has shown signs of frailty in his opening matches. Djokovic, the seventh seed, recorded his 104th match win at Wimbledon and is aiming for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title and record-equalling eighth Wimbledon crown. During his post-match interview, he also challenged Rory McIlroy, watching from the royal box, to a tennis match for the golf star's Masters green jacket.
