Novak Djokovic had not lost a set in his Wimbledon premieres for nine years, since Belgian Olivier Rochus won him two in 2010, but then succumbed. This time the same thing happened to Jack draper, 19-year-old British promising 253rd in the world who beat Jannik Sinner a few days ago at Queen’s. The boy, who made his debut in a Grand Slam, gave everything in the first round and took advantage of the Serbian’s only mistake with his service throughout the game. Then he lifted several breaking balls until he was able to celebrate in the virgin grass of the center that he had won the first set to the 2018 and 2019 champion. He did not imagine the one that was going to fall on him. The number one in the world reacted with anger and passed him, with 47 winning shots, 25 of them from direct service, until he won by 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 and 6-2 in just two hours.
In recent times, Djokovic has us used to these disconcerting beginnings that he later solves with astonishing ease, and that they denote a certain arrogance on their part. It is true that in the open press conference he had warned about the danger of a duel against a local player with nothing to lose and that he was in good shape. And the truth is something must have worried the boy judging by the way he celebrated his breaks in the three sets that preceded the opening one. Between slips by the youth of the grass, the Balkan caught the wave of the meeting and took advantage of the displacement problems of a corpulent rival (1.91 and 82 kilos) who lost gas and faith as the minutes passed.
Start as you mean to go on …@DjokerNole‘s pursuit of a third consecutive Wimbledon title is off to a winning start, beating Jack Draper 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/soTVGWBze4
– Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2021
Nole was not for jokes, with the Golden Slam (winning the four majors and the Olympic gold in the same year) between eyebrows and the possibility of equaling the record of 20 titles shared by Rafa Nadal (absent) and Roger Federer. He lost just 14 points on his serve, six of them in the first set, most in the third game, and made 24 unforced errors. If it hadn’t been for the boot slip, his performance would have been absolutely exemplary. Although that did not overshadow his later display. The last game he won in 46 seconds with three aces …
Results and calendar men’s box.