Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, offered an apology after pranking a ball kid during his recent Wimbledon victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas. The incident occurred between the second and third sets of a match that saw Djokovic advance to the third round.
During a break, Djokovic requested assistance from a ball kid to cut some excess material from the shoulder of his playing kit. As the ball kid prepared to make the cut, Djokovic flinched, feigning that she had nicked his skin. This caused the ball kid to jump in surprise.
The crowd present on Centre Court chuckled at the exchange, and the ball kid was seen putting her hand to her heart. Djokovic quickly apologised for the prank, and he reiterated his apology to her immediately after the match, noting that she was laughing courtside.
Djokovic later commented on the moment, explaining that such actions tend to surface when he is in a comfortable position in a match. He mentioned that Tsitsipas had gone to change, leaving him with some spare time. He expressed regret if he had scared her, acknowledging it was “probably not that great of a joke,” but admitted it helped him relax.
Djokovic’s “Vintage” Performance
Djokovic’s performance against Tsitsipas was described as “almost flawless” and “vintage.” He defeated Tsitsipas in straight sets, with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. The match concluded in just an hour and 38 minutes, showcasing a dominant display from the seven-time Wimbledon winner.
Reflecting on the description of his play, Djokovic stated, “I like the terminology ‘vintage.’ It’s nice, brings back the best days.” This victory marked his progression to the third round of the tournament.
According to 2017 semifinalist Sam Querrey, who provided commentary, Djokovic’s play was the best he had exhibited since the Australian Open. Querrey suggested that if Djokovic could maintain this level of performance for additional matches, he would have a strong chance of equalling Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight titles at the tournament.
Despite his impressive form in early victories over Yibing Wu and two-time major finalist Tsitsipas, reports indicate that Djokovic has spent considerable time between points limbering up. He is scheduled to play French 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in the next round.
Other Men’s Singles Results
In other men’s singles matches, top seed Jannik Sinner secured his spot in the third round. After a challenging five-set victory against Miomir Kecmanović in his opener, Sinner faced Nuno Borges of Portugal. Borges managed to achieve a set point in the second set, but Sinner ultimately prevailed with a 7-6(7/4), 7-6(7/2), 6-4 victory.
Sinner acknowledged that he was not seeking perfection in his second match on grass, stating his intention to improve. Eighth seed Daniil Medvedev also advanced, securing a four-set win against Spain’s Daniel Merida. French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli, seeded ninth, defeated Mariano Navone.
Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, supported by his fan club, progressed past Jesper de Jong. American qualifier Michael Zheng followed up his initial win against British number one Cameron Norrie with another straight-sets victory, this time against Colombia’s Nicolas Mejia. Fellow American Tommy Paul also reached the third round, claiming his second consecutive straight-sets win against Kwon Soon-woo.
The tournament continues with these players moving forward in their respective draws.
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Source: abc.net.au
Harry Loxley is a Senior Football Correspondent at NewsGB.org. He spent his early career reporting East Midlands football. He focuses on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Derby and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Derby, he watches non-league and runs a fan podcast. “Good football writing follows the people, not just the points.”