Djokovic labors through tough Wimbledon opener against China's Wu

Novak Djokovic battled through a demanding opening match at Wimbledon, ultimately overcoming China's Yibing Wu 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. The encounter lasted over three hours, with Wu proving a significantly tougher challenge than anticipated on the grass courts of London.

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Although on paper it seemed an accessible debut for the Balkan, the Asian (102nd in the ATP rankings) jumped onto the court without complexes.

Despite a seemingly accessible draw, the 102nd-ranked Wu played with remarkable confidence. Djokovic secured an early break to take the first set, but Wu responded with aggressive tennis to level the match by winning the second set 7-5. The third set remained tight, with both players holding serve effectively.

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Although 'Nole' won the first set supported by an early break, Wu reacted with aggressive tennis and leveled the actions after winning the second set 7-5.

Djokovic's experience proved decisive in the third set, as he secured a crucial break in the ninth game to gain the advantage and quell Wu's momentum. The fourth set saw the Chinese player continue to fight, but his inability to convert break points proved costly. He squandered six opportunities to break Djokovic's serve. Djokovic again broke in the ninth game to seal the victory, earning applause from the crowd, which included former footballer David Beckham.

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However, Djokovic's experience appeared in the ninth game, where he got the necessary break to take the lead on the scoreboard and cool his opponent's reaction.

With this hard-earned passage to the next round, the 24-time Grand Slam champion now sets his sights on his next opponent, Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek player will be looking to regain his standing on the tour after a season of mixed results.

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In the last chapter, the Chinese tennis player continued to fight, but the lack of effectiveness in the break points ended up costing him, missing six opportunities to break the Serbian's serve.