Djokovic starts record quest by battling past talented Wu

In his 21st Wimbledon and 116th match at the All England Club, the 39-year-old Novak Djokovic fought like a lion as he kicked off his quest for a men’s record-equalling eighth title with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win against China’s Wu Yibing.

- Simon Cambers

The scoreline tells only half the story. Djokovic looked comfortable in the first set but Wu, a huge talent whose career has been badly affected by injury, began to cut loose, slapping winners from the baseline, especially on his forehand. The third set was crucial as Djokovic snatched the vital break and then won a long deuce game to seal it. In the fourth, he withstood huge pressure before breaking in the ninth game and serving out to love to maintain his record of never having lost in the first round at Wimbledon.

“It felt really challenging for me today,” said Djokovic. “Wu deserves a huge round of applause for his performance. It didn’t feel like the first round to be honest.”