An all-Serbian third-round match saw 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic deliver a sublime tennis performance to take down compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 in one hour and 47 minutes.
As a result, the sixth seed progressed to the round of 16 at The Championships for the 17th time, setting up a meeting with 11th seed Alex de Minaur, who beat Dane August Holmgren earlier at the SW19.
“It is never easy playing a friend,” the sixth seed said in his post-match interview. “Miomir is a super nice guy. Someone that I have known for many years, we faced each other on different surfaces. More than rivals and competitors, we are friends and teammates.”
Furthermore, the world No. 6 joined Roger Federer (105) and Martina Navratilova (120) as the only players to have achieved the landmark of 100 or more match wins at Wimbledon.
Speaking about reaching such a feat, he commented: “It’s very historic and I am very grateful. It’s a privilege to be in this position.
“Most kids dream of playing and winning here at Wimbledon. I’ve been blessed to do it multiple times, and any history I make in my favorite tournament, I’m blessed.”
Making his 20th appearance in the men’s singles at the tournament, the Belgrade native has shown glimpses of brilliance from the outset.
Nevertheless, on Saturday, Djokovic was in a league of his own, sealing a high-level contest by clinching a statement win on a surface he masters.
The relentless 38-year-old, who is yet to lose a set, dictated play from the back of the court, lethal on the forehand while showing no mercy on the return game.
With his superb athleticism and vast repertoire in full display, denying him the triumph soon became an impossible mission for the world No. 49.
Consistency Is Key
Both players made a strong start to the first set; Kecmanovic went toe-to-toe with his adversary, keeping the score tight at 3-3 within 24 minutes into the match.
However, a marathon eighth game would go Djokovic’s way after breaking the 25-year-old, marking an inflection point in the set outcome.
Also, the net exchanges had the spectators on the edge of their seats as a masterpiece unfolded on the iconic Center Court.
Finding the lines with groundstrokes, the 100-time ATP titlist imposed his game with consistency and precision against a player who rose to the occasion.
Eventually, the young Serbian conceded the first set to an opponent who fired 22 winners (7 aces), winning 80 percent of the points on his first service.
As the second set wore on, a completely new chapter took shape, courtesy of Djokovic’s supremacy.
With the wind in his sails, he raced to a 3-0 lead, and from that moment on, the second set turned into a one-sided affair that he closed out 6-0, committing just two unforced errors in the process.
Building upon momentum, the Paris Olympics gold medalist continued to neutralize the two-time ATP titlist, having an answer to all the questions.
Nonetheless, Kecmanovic found his way to produce a late challenge, rallying from 1-5 to 4-5, converting his first break in the match, a moment short-lived.
Despite having struggled to see off the match, Djokovic quickly regrouped to win the encounter 6-4 with a backhand winner.
Overall, he hit 60 winners (16 aces) against 19 unforced errors, converted six of 10 break points, and won 82 percent of the points on his first serve.
The seven-time champion leads De Minaur in their series 2-1; their most recent meeting took place a year ago at the event quarterfinal, a match marked by the Australian’s retirement due to injury.