LONDON — Novak Djokovic produced another clinical Centre Court performance on Wednesday night, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the Wimbledon third round for the 20th time in his career.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion raised his level considerably after being pushed to four sets in his opening-round victory over Wu Yibing, comfortably overcoming Tsitsipas in the pair’s first career meeting on grass.
The victory also extended Djokovic’s dominance over the Greek star, improving his record to 13-2 in their ATP Tour rivalry.
Djokovic controlled the match from the outset, combining accurate serving with aggressive returning while limiting his mistakes throughout the one-hour, 38-minute contest.
The defining moment came late in the second set when the Serbian produced a spectacular return game to break Tsitsipas’s serve.
Djokovic struck three clean winners during the game, including a perfectly weighted defensive lob that landed just inside the baseline before eventually earning the opportunity to serve for a two-set advantage.
“You feel very happy, satisfied and joyful on the court when you are playing this way,” Djokovic said during his on-court interview.
“Once you get the momentum going… That game when I went 5-2 up was one of the best return games I’ve played in a while. I just went for my shots. I was a bit more relaxed, a little less tension in my head.”
While Tsitsipas showed flashes of the form that once carried him to two Grand Slam finals, he struggled to sustain pressure against one of the tournament’s greatest champions.
The former world No. 3 arrived at Wimbledon ranked No. 87 after several injury-interrupted seasons and inconsistent results, a significant contrast to the player who pushed Djokovic to five sets in the 2021 French Open final after leading by two sets.
His best moment came early in the second set.
Facing Djokovic at 0-30, Tsitsipas produced a spectacular around-the-net forehand winner that drew loud applause from the Centre Court crowd and briefly hinted at a possible shift in momentum.
Djokovic immediately erased any danger.
The Serbian responded with two unreturned serves before firing consecutive aces to hold serve comfortably, once again demonstrating his ability to produce his highest level under pressure.
That sequence summarized the evening.
Whenever Tsitsipas threatened, Djokovic responded with greater precision and composure.
The seventh seed also thrilled spectators with one of the defensive points of the tournament, somehow retrieving two powerful Tsitsipas smashes before regrouping to break serve and seize complete control of the second set.
Statistically, Djokovic’s performance bordered on flawless.
He finished with 33 winners and only seven unforced errors while never allowing Tsitsipas a service break throughout the match.
His consistency from both the baseline and the service line prevented the Greek from establishing any sustained rhythm.
Djokovic now advances to face Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech for a place in the fourth round.
Rinderknech earned his spot by defeating American Martin Damm 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-3 earlier on Wednesday to reach the Wimbledon third round for the second consecutive year.
Although Djokovic represents one of the toughest possible opponents, Rinderknech has demonstrated his ability to produce major upsets.
Last year, the Frenchman claimed the biggest victory of his career by defeating then-world No. 3 Alexander Zverev on Centre Court.
His run this year has come despite entering Wimbledon with little momentum on grass after suffering first-round defeats at both the Libéma Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and the Queen’s Club Championships.
Friday’s meeting will also mark the first professional encounter between Djokovic and Rinderknech.
For Djokovic, the victory over Tsitsipas reinforced his status as one of the leading contenders for another Wimbledon title.
The Serbian continues to chase an eighth championship at the All England Club, a triumph that would equal Roger Federer’s men’s singles record while adding another milestone to one of the most decorated careers in tennis history.
