Ageing and vulnerable seven-time champ is loved at last
The Wimbledon crowd's resistance to his charms was partly because his courting of them was too apparent, but mainly because his big rivals, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, were so popular, and unlike them, his game was perceived as more efficient than stylish.
But longevity coupled with a new vulnerability creates an allure of its own. Now in his 39th year and without a grand slam title since September 2023, the Centre Court crowd have finally taken the Serb to their hearts.
That was evident even as he dismantled a Brit, the plucky but outgunned local hope Dan Evans, 6-3 6-2 6-0 in the second round on Thursday.
Djokovic never gave Evans a sniff as he delivered a superb all-round performance where he looked as sharp as ever.
At the end, there were loud cheers of support, and his post-match interview was greeted with laughter and applause.
He said the right things, obviously, praising Evans and complimenting the crowd, but they knew it was genuine when the seven-times champ said, "Wimbledon still stays the most special tournament in my heart and the one that I always dreamed of winning when I was a kid. Any history made here is very special for me."
This was his 99th win at Wimbledon. Five more and he will achieve a 25th grand slam, finally eclipsing Margaret Court's tally.
That's the target that keeps him looking forward, not back.
"I don't pause to reflect," he said. "I don't have time. Being on the highest level on professional tennis requires a lot of dedication.
"I don't play as much as I did before, but the weeks I don't play, I play at home with my kids. I don't reflect fully on everything I have been through.
"I would like to, but I think that will come when I set the racquet aside and then sip margaritas on the beach with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and just reflect on our rivalry and everything."
Djokovic now meets compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic, who defeated Jesper de Jong 1-6 6-3 6-2 6-4.
Elsewhere, Jan-Lennard Struff completed a surprise four-set comeback victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime to set up a third-round date with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Struff, the only German man left in the draw, won 3-6 7-6 (11-9) 6-3 6-4 in a match suspended due to poor light on Wednesday after the second set.
Seeds Jakub Mensik (15) and Flavio Cobolli (22) progressed and now meet each other, as did Grigor Dimitrov (19) and, in another match with an overnight delay, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (26).
Spaniard Davidovich Fokina will next meet fifth-seed Taylor Fritz with the winner playing Jordan Thompson in the fourth round should the Aussie come through his third-round tie.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
36 minutes ago
- ABC News
Olivia Rodrigo and Cate Blanchett among celebrities spotted at Wimbledon
Each English summer, there is just as much star power in the royal box and stands at Wimbledon as there is on Centre Court. The royal box, which seats about 80 people at the south end of Centre Court, is reserved for members of the royal family and a host of "illustrious guests". The only way to get a seat is to secure a personal invitation from the club chair, Deborah Jevans. Guests are treated to tea, lunch, drinks and extravagant gift bags. As you can guess by the name, there is an open invitation to members of the royal family, but actors, musicians, athletes, heads of government and tennis stars also frequent the spot. "It's so special in the royal box to have those kind of people in there. It definitely adds a bit of pressure, I guess, if you look up and you kind of recognise [them]," British tennis player Emma Raducanu said in an interview after her match. "That's why I try and stay with my eyes on the court as much as possible. "Only after, you kind of look up and take it all in, if they're still there." Here are all the famous faces we have seen during the first week of Wimbledon. On day one of the championships, Princess Beatrice, took her seat in the royal box alongside her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and mother Sarah, Duchess of York, to witness reigning champion Carlos Alcarez play on Centre Court. Also in the box were English football legend David Beckham and his mother Sandra. Actor Eddie Redmayne, donned in Wimbledon finery, watched the match with his wife Hannah Bagshawe. Jason Isaacs looked far more relaxed seated at Centre Court than the character he recently played in the latest season of White Lotus. Up in the stands, actor Jessica Alba had her 17-year-old daughter, Honor Warren, as her plus one. The honour accorded every reigning ladies' singles champion is that they open Centre Court play on Day two. Recognisable Australians Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett and Rebel Wilson all watched the match between Barbora Krejčíková and Alexandra Eala. It was a stacked royal box for Carlos Alcaraz and Oliver Tarvet's second-round match on day three. Fresh off her appearance at Glastonbury, singer Olivia Rodrigo took her seat in the royal box in a strawberries-and-cream-coloured dress with her partner, actor Louis Partridge. Sat next to Rodrigo was WWE wrestler-turned-actor John Cena and his wife Shay Shariatzadeh. In front of them was Olympic diver Tom Daley. Musician Dave Grohl, actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas were also spotted. Mamma Mia actor Dominic Cooper as well as actress Leslie Mann and her producer husband Judd Apatow were also in attendance. British television presenter and author Bear Grylls swapped his usual survival gear for a suit and sat in the royal box on day four at Centre Court. Actress Celia Imrie took her seat in the front row. Up in the stands, Eve Hewson, an actress and daughter to US frontman Bono, chatted to television presenter Dermot O'Leary. Former Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo and comedian Jack Whitehall were also spotted. With nine of the tournament still to come, there is no doubt plenty more royal and famous faces will be spotted in the box and the stands.
Herald Sun
37 minutes ago
- Herald Sun
Nick Kyrgios partners up with adult film star for new OnlyFans content, Rachel Starr
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tennis. Followed categories will be added to My News. Nick Kyrgios isn't partaking in Wimbledon, instead the Aussie is using up his time on a different court with an adult film star alongside. The former world number 13 has partnered up with Rachel Starr and fellow adult actor Sophie Stonehouse for brand new OnlyFans content. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. No it isn't spicy content, instead the three are hosting a new series for OnlyFans TV titled Smash City which launched its first season last month. The four-episode show is set to be a pickleball-based competition and will see eight OnlyFans creators compete for $20,000 in a variety of pickleball games. Starr has been promoting the series on her Instagram account, writing that the competition is 'a pickleball competition where one person is left standing at the end'. The new OnlyFans TV show was announced earlier this year and comes after Kyrgios and girlfriend Costeen Hatzi called time on their four-year relationship in April. The pair began dating in 2021 after linking up through Instagram when Hatzi was selling a mirror. Hatzi, 25, appeared to give Kyrgios a social-media slap in March when she posed for a series of photos shared on TikTok. The photos included a watermark caption: 'The photos are good when the photographer isn't secretly jealous'. Kyrgios has at times been the tragic 'boyfriends of Insta' photographer behind some of Hatzi's ritzy influencer posts and selfie shots. It is a sad end to a relationship that had previously sparked marriage and baby rumours. Things took off for the couple less than a year into dating with Kyrgios hinting multiple times his plans to one day marry Hatzi. The duo sent tongues wagging in 2022 following sightings of Hatzi sporting a diamond ring on her engagement finger. Last year Hatzi opened up in a wide-ranging interview where she spoke about the rumours of the two tying the knot and starting a family. She said they've 'definitely had conversations'. 'We love each other. (But) there's no rush. It'll happen when it happens,' she said. 'Nick tells me every day that he wants a baby.' Hatzi in May revealed the pair are no longer on speaking terms. Originally published as Nick Kyrgios partners up with adult film star for new OnlyFans content
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Aussie No.1s sidestep seeds carnage with Wimbledon wins
Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina, Australia's biggest Wimbledon hopes, have been left relieved to avoid joining the legion of seeds who've already been scattered at this shock-laden Wimbledon as they battled into the third round. In perfect sunny conditions on Thursday (Friday AEST), de Minaur brushed off a woeful first set against French qualifier Arthur Cazaux before regrouping and eventually showing some signs of his best in a 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-0 victory. Then after his fellow Sydneysider Aleksandar Vukic had been crushed by the full power of world No.1 Jannik Sinner, the other national No.1 Kasatkina came through her second-round arm wrestle with old Romanian rival Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2 4-6 6-1. So there'll be at least three Australians in the last 32, with injury-hampered Jordan Thompson having heroically made it into the third round on Wednesday - and Rinky Hijikata almost but not quite out of it on the brink of defeat to Ben Shelton when his match was controversially suspended because of the dying light. The encouraging news for world No.11 de Minaur is he'll next be facing Denmark's August Holmgren, a qualifier ranked 181 places below him who knocked out Czech 21st seed Tomas Machac and may feel drained after the second longest match of the championships lasting four hours 38 minutes. Fifteen of the 32 men's seeds had already fallen in the first two rounds, and 15 of the women's - and there was momentary concern both de Minaur and Kasatkina, the newest recruit for Australian tennis, might join them. "It just shows you, this sport, it's not easy out there. Anything can happen on any given day," sighed de Minaur. And though his victory, featuring 31 unforced errors, suggested plenty of work to be done still, he was grateful to have avoided the same second-round calamity of the French Open when beaten by Alexander Bublik. De Minaur had never been knocked out of a grand slam by anyone as lowly ranked as No.115 Cazaux, but alarm bells rang once the fluid server from Montpellier took advantage of de Minaur's absent-minded start on a packed No.2 Court. But urged on at courtside by his Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, de Minaur stirred, nearly doubled his first-serve percentage of 33 per cent to 63 per cent and swept to level the set scores. Cazaux's spirit was broken after de Minaur's late break in the second, and 'Demon' felt freed to play his best tennis of the tournament so far, feeding the dispirited Frenchman a 41-minute 'bagel' set. His next opponent Holmgren will have to recover from a marathon in which he finally kayoed Machac 7-6 (7-5) 6-8 (8-10) 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 7-6 (7-5). Kasatkina, the 16th seed, has beaten 34-year-old Begu more times than she's defeated any other player, so it looked a perfect draw as she swept through the first set, only for the veteran to uncork some laser shotmaking in the second. But, though occasionally venting her frustration to her courtside team about an uneven performance, Kasatkina recovered her poise, earned an early break in the decider and then reeled off the final four games to book a much more challenging third-round encounter with 18th seed Liudmila Samsonova, who's already knocked out star teenage Australian Maya Joint. "I prefer this fire and getting this anger than when I don't feel the energy at all. So sometimes I was screaming to the box and stuff, but that's important, it gives you energy," Kasatkina said. Sydneysider Vukic gave Carlos Alcaraz a few worries last year on No.1 Court but his latest big-match date on Centre proved a bloodless affair as he was taken apart by Sinner 6-1 6-1 6-3 in an hour and 40 minutes, with his most notable resistance emerging at the death when he saved five match points. "I feel like I'm in a boxing ring and just have to go back out there," sighed the "pummelled" Vukic. In near-darkness at 9.30pm, there was still general amazement when the chair umpire told Shelton he was suspending the No.2 Court contest against Hijikata just as the dominant American 10th seed was leading 6-2 7-5 5-4 and about to step out to serve for the match. Shelton was outraged, understandably complaining, while Hijikata, equally understandably, zoomed off court before minds could be changed. The match will be resumed on Friday. Earlier, Australia's Olympic men's doubles champions, 15th seeds John Peers and Matt Ebden, bowed out in the opening round, losing 6-3 6-4 to Czech pair Petr Nouza and Patrik Rikl. Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina, Australia's biggest Wimbledon hopes, have been left relieved to avoid joining the legion of seeds who've already been scattered at this shock-laden Wimbledon as they battled into the third round. In perfect sunny conditions on Thursday (Friday AEST), de Minaur brushed off a woeful first set against French qualifier Arthur Cazaux before regrouping and eventually showing some signs of his best in a 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-0 victory. Then after his fellow Sydneysider Aleksandar Vukic had been crushed by the full power of world No.1 Jannik Sinner, the other national No.1 Kasatkina came through her second-round arm wrestle with old Romanian rival Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2 4-6 6-1. So there'll be at least three Australians in the last 32, with injury-hampered Jordan Thompson having heroically made it into the third round on Wednesday - and Rinky Hijikata almost but not quite out of it on the brink of defeat to Ben Shelton when his match was controversially suspended because of the dying light. The encouraging news for world No.11 de Minaur is he'll next be facing Denmark's August Holmgren, a qualifier ranked 181 places below him who knocked out Czech 21st seed Tomas Machac and may feel drained after the second longest match of the championships lasting four hours 38 minutes. Fifteen of the 32 men's seeds had already fallen in the first two rounds, and 15 of the women's - and there was momentary concern both de Minaur and Kasatkina, the newest recruit for Australian tennis, might join them. "It just shows you, this sport, it's not easy out there. Anything can happen on any given day," sighed de Minaur. And though his victory, featuring 31 unforced errors, suggested plenty of work to be done still, he was grateful to have avoided the same second-round calamity of the French Open when beaten by Alexander Bublik. De Minaur had never been knocked out of a grand slam by anyone as lowly ranked as No.115 Cazaux, but alarm bells rang once the fluid server from Montpellier took advantage of de Minaur's absent-minded start on a packed No.2 Court. But urged on at courtside by his Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, de Minaur stirred, nearly doubled his first-serve percentage of 33 per cent to 63 per cent and swept to level the set scores. Cazaux's spirit was broken after de Minaur's late break in the second, and 'Demon' felt freed to play his best tennis of the tournament so far, feeding the dispirited Frenchman a 41-minute 'bagel' set. His next opponent Holmgren will have to recover from a marathon in which he finally kayoed Machac 7-6 (7-5) 6-8 (8-10) 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 7-6 (7-5). Kasatkina, the 16th seed, has beaten 34-year-old Begu more times than she's defeated any other player, so it looked a perfect draw as she swept through the first set, only for the veteran to uncork some laser shotmaking in the second. But, though occasionally venting her frustration to her courtside team about an uneven performance, Kasatkina recovered her poise, earned an early break in the decider and then reeled off the final four games to book a much more challenging third-round encounter with 18th seed Liudmila Samsonova, who's already knocked out star teenage Australian Maya Joint. "I prefer this fire and getting this anger than when I don't feel the energy at all. So sometimes I was screaming to the box and stuff, but that's important, it gives you energy," Kasatkina said. Sydneysider Vukic gave Carlos Alcaraz a few worries last year on No.1 Court but his latest big-match date on Centre proved a bloodless affair as he was taken apart by Sinner 6-1 6-1 6-3 in an hour and 40 minutes, with his most notable resistance emerging at the death when he saved five match points. "I feel like I'm in a boxing ring and just have to go back out there," sighed the "pummelled" Vukic. In near-darkness at 9.30pm, there was still general amazement when the chair umpire told Shelton he was suspending the No.2 Court contest against Hijikata just as the dominant American 10th seed was leading 6-2 7-5 5-4 and about to step out to serve for the match. Shelton was outraged, understandably complaining, while Hijikata, equally understandably, zoomed off court before minds could be changed. The match will be resumed on Friday. Earlier, Australia's Olympic men's doubles champions, 15th seeds John Peers and Matt Ebden, bowed out in the opening round, losing 6-3 6-4 to Czech pair Petr Nouza and Patrik Rikl. Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina, Australia's biggest Wimbledon hopes, have been left relieved to avoid joining the legion of seeds who've already been scattered at this shock-laden Wimbledon as they battled into the third round. In perfect sunny conditions on Thursday (Friday AEST), de Minaur brushed off a woeful first set against French qualifier Arthur Cazaux before regrouping and eventually showing some signs of his best in a 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-0 victory. Then after his fellow Sydneysider Aleksandar Vukic had been crushed by the full power of world No.1 Jannik Sinner, the other national No.1 Kasatkina came through her second-round arm wrestle with old Romanian rival Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2 4-6 6-1. So there'll be at least three Australians in the last 32, with injury-hampered Jordan Thompson having heroically made it into the third round on Wednesday - and Rinky Hijikata almost but not quite out of it on the brink of defeat to Ben Shelton when his match was controversially suspended because of the dying light. The encouraging news for world No.11 de Minaur is he'll next be facing Denmark's August Holmgren, a qualifier ranked 181 places below him who knocked out Czech 21st seed Tomas Machac and may feel drained after the second longest match of the championships lasting four hours 38 minutes. Fifteen of the 32 men's seeds had already fallen in the first two rounds, and 15 of the women's - and there was momentary concern both de Minaur and Kasatkina, the newest recruit for Australian tennis, might join them. "It just shows you, this sport, it's not easy out there. Anything can happen on any given day," sighed de Minaur. And though his victory, featuring 31 unforced errors, suggested plenty of work to be done still, he was grateful to have avoided the same second-round calamity of the French Open when beaten by Alexander Bublik. De Minaur had never been knocked out of a grand slam by anyone as lowly ranked as No.115 Cazaux, but alarm bells rang once the fluid server from Montpellier took advantage of de Minaur's absent-minded start on a packed No.2 Court. But urged on at courtside by his Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, de Minaur stirred, nearly doubled his first-serve percentage of 33 per cent to 63 per cent and swept to level the set scores. Cazaux's spirit was broken after de Minaur's late break in the second, and 'Demon' felt freed to play his best tennis of the tournament so far, feeding the dispirited Frenchman a 41-minute 'bagel' set. His next opponent Holmgren will have to recover from a marathon in which he finally kayoed Machac 7-6 (7-5) 6-8 (8-10) 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 7-6 (7-5). Kasatkina, the 16th seed, has beaten 34-year-old Begu more times than she's defeated any other player, so it looked a perfect draw as she swept through the first set, only for the veteran to uncork some laser shotmaking in the second. But, though occasionally venting her frustration to her courtside team about an uneven performance, Kasatkina recovered her poise, earned an early break in the decider and then reeled off the final four games to book a much more challenging third-round encounter with 18th seed Liudmila Samsonova, who's already knocked out star teenage Australian Maya Joint. "I prefer this fire and getting this anger than when I don't feel the energy at all. So sometimes I was screaming to the box and stuff, but that's important, it gives you energy," Kasatkina said. Sydneysider Vukic gave Carlos Alcaraz a few worries last year on No.1 Court but his latest big-match date on Centre proved a bloodless affair as he was taken apart by Sinner 6-1 6-1 6-3 in an hour and 40 minutes, with his most notable resistance emerging at the death when he saved five match points. "I feel like I'm in a boxing ring and just have to go back out there," sighed the "pummelled" Vukic. In near-darkness at 9.30pm, there was still general amazement when the chair umpire told Shelton he was suspending the No.2 Court contest against Hijikata just as the dominant American 10th seed was leading 6-2 7-5 5-4 and about to step out to serve for the match. Shelton was outraged, understandably complaining, while Hijikata, equally understandably, zoomed off court before minds could be changed. The match will be resumed on Friday. Earlier, Australia's Olympic men's doubles champions, 15th seeds John Peers and Matt Ebden, bowed out in the opening round, losing 6-3 6-4 to Czech pair Petr Nouza and Patrik Rikl. Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina, Australia's biggest Wimbledon hopes, have been left relieved to avoid joining the legion of seeds who've already been scattered at this shock-laden Wimbledon as they battled into the third round. In perfect sunny conditions on Thursday (Friday AEST), de Minaur brushed off a woeful first set against French qualifier Arthur Cazaux before regrouping and eventually showing some signs of his best in a 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-0 victory. Then after his fellow Sydneysider Aleksandar Vukic had been crushed by the full power of world No.1 Jannik Sinner, the other national No.1 Kasatkina came through her second-round arm wrestle with old Romanian rival Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2 4-6 6-1. So there'll be at least three Australians in the last 32, with injury-hampered Jordan Thompson having heroically made it into the third round on Wednesday - and Rinky Hijikata almost but not quite out of it on the brink of defeat to Ben Shelton when his match was controversially suspended because of the dying light. The encouraging news for world No.11 de Minaur is he'll next be facing Denmark's August Holmgren, a qualifier ranked 181 places below him who knocked out Czech 21st seed Tomas Machac and may feel drained after the second longest match of the championships lasting four hours 38 minutes. Fifteen of the 32 men's seeds had already fallen in the first two rounds, and 15 of the women's - and there was momentary concern both de Minaur and Kasatkina, the newest recruit for Australian tennis, might join them. "It just shows you, this sport, it's not easy out there. Anything can happen on any given day," sighed de Minaur. And though his victory, featuring 31 unforced errors, suggested plenty of work to be done still, he was grateful to have avoided the same second-round calamity of the French Open when beaten by Alexander Bublik. De Minaur had never been knocked out of a grand slam by anyone as lowly ranked as No.115 Cazaux, but alarm bells rang once the fluid server from Montpellier took advantage of de Minaur's absent-minded start on a packed No.2 Court. But urged on at courtside by his Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, de Minaur stirred, nearly doubled his first-serve percentage of 33 per cent to 63 per cent and swept to level the set scores. Cazaux's spirit was broken after de Minaur's late break in the second, and 'Demon' felt freed to play his best tennis of the tournament so far, feeding the dispirited Frenchman a 41-minute 'bagel' set. His next opponent Holmgren will have to recover from a marathon in which he finally kayoed Machac 7-6 (7-5) 6-8 (8-10) 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 7-6 (7-5). Kasatkina, the 16th seed, has beaten 34-year-old Begu more times than she's defeated any other player, so it looked a perfect draw as she swept through the first set, only for the veteran to uncork some laser shotmaking in the second. But, though occasionally venting her frustration to her courtside team about an uneven performance, Kasatkina recovered her poise, earned an early break in the decider and then reeled off the final four games to book a much more challenging third-round encounter with 18th seed Liudmila Samsonova, who's already knocked out star teenage Australian Maya Joint. "I prefer this fire and getting this anger than when I don't feel the energy at all. So sometimes I was screaming to the box and stuff, but that's important, it gives you energy," Kasatkina said. Sydneysider Vukic gave Carlos Alcaraz a few worries last year on No.1 Court but his latest big-match date on Centre proved a bloodless affair as he was taken apart by Sinner 6-1 6-1 6-3 in an hour and 40 minutes, with his most notable resistance emerging at the death when he saved five match points. "I feel like I'm in a boxing ring and just have to go back out there," sighed the "pummelled" Vukic. In near-darkness at 9.30pm, there was still general amazement when the chair umpire told Shelton he was suspending the No.2 Court contest against Hijikata just as the dominant American 10th seed was leading 6-2 7-5 5-4 and about to step out to serve for the match. Shelton was outraged, understandably complaining, while Hijikata, equally understandably, zoomed off court before minds could be changed. The match will be resumed on Friday. Earlier, Australia's Olympic men's doubles champions, 15th seeds John Peers and Matt Ebden, bowed out in the opening round, losing 6-3 6-4 to Czech pair Petr Nouza and Patrik Rikl.
