London, June 30: Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic kicked off his 21st Wimbledon campaign with an exhilarating victory over China’s Yibing Wu, winning 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The seventh-seeded player delivered strong serves and maintained a solid performance, yet he couldn’t prevent Wu from enjoying the atmosphere of Centre Court. In the first set, the world-ranked 102nd player from China hit 15 winners, but matched that number with unforced errors.
A pivotal moment occurred at the start of the second set. Had Djokovic capitalized on one of his early break opportunities, he could have easily moved towards a controlled and relatively straightforward victory. However, this did not happen, and Wu’s confidence grew as the crowd cheered his name.
After the roof was closed at the beginning of the third set, the Serbian faced ongoing challenges. Djokovic, who has only played five tournaments this year due to a shoulder injury, pushed hard at the end of the third set to break Wu’s serve.
Despite the struggle, Djokovic secured the third set and took full control during crucial moments in the fourth, achieving a remarkable 21-0 record in the first round of Wimbledon. He saved six break points in the fourth set, including three chances at 0/40 when the score was 2-3. Ultimately, he claimed victory after three hours and 11 minutes.
This marks Djokovic’s first match on grass this year, and it is only his fifth tour-level event of the season. With 101 tour-level titles to his name, his best performance in 2026 so far was reaching the finals of the Australian Open.
Djokovic praised Wu for his impressive performance, stating, “Wu deserves a lot of credit for his fantastic play. He put a lot of pressure on me. I probably should have lost the fourth set. Matches like these are decided by just a few points. Fortunately, I have 20 years of experience to handle such situations. But it would be nice to combine this experience with a young, fresh body.”
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