Djokovic in ominous form as he destroys compatriot

It was a point to take your breath away. Novak Djokovic grabbed it with a backhand down the line. But that failed to illustrate the Serbian’s artistry after a series of audacious strokes to break down his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic.

- JACK RATHBORN

If Jannik Sinner had earlier surged into the fourth round, the latest step in a dominant run to the semifinals, then Djokovic in this form may well await. Djokovic grappled with his game a little more here, even though he was admittedly met with more force in Kecmanovic than Sinner’s opponent Pedro Martinez.

This was a clinic, eventually, but the fuse to light the torch was in the eighth game of the first set. The point of the Championships, surely. Fourteen strokes and Djokovic showcased all of his toys for the gleeful crowd. With the roof open and the sun peaking behind the clouds, Djokovic, instead, lit up Centre Court on his way to his 100th win at SW19.

He chopped a few drop shots with enough unlikely spin to cruelly die over the net. But Kecmanovic was up to the challenge. Then, the less flashy, yet no less infuriating lob shot to the back of the court. And, finally, that backhand to earn the first of two break points, which proved enough inspiration to eventually snatch the first set 6-3, with the next two earned by 6-0 and 6-4. It proved the inspiration behind a more menacing run of tennis to follow in the next two sets.

A second-set bagel, in fact: Kecmanovic may look at the first eight games of that first set with admiration at his own game. In time, he might look back at that second set and realise he had the best seat in the house at what was a more vintage version of Djokovic, perhaps the greatest male player to ever pick up a racket.

If the eighth game of the first set produced a spectacular Djokovic point, then the third game of the second set was the sort that we have grown accustomed to en route to 24 grand slam titles.