Novak Djokovic has begun his 2024 Wimbledon campaign in style with a straight sets win over Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 on Tuesday and reached the second round.
Despite knee surgery early last month, the 37-year-old Djokovic showed no discomfort as he sailed to a one-hour, 58-minute triumph in the first round under the Centre Court roof. The Serbian ace broke Kopriva’s serve twice in each set, bolstering his first-round match record at SW19 to 19-0.
Kopriva, 27, who had only played professional grass-court tennis at Wimbledon qualifiers in 2022, 2023, and this year, struggled to match Djokovic’s consistency. Djokovic committed a mere 16 unforced errors over three sets and clinched the match by winning 90 per cent (35/39) of the points on his first serve.
Although Djokovic, a 24-time major champion, was heavily favoured against world No. 123 Kopriva, the intrigue was heightened due to the Serbian’s comeback from a knee injury that led to his withdrawal from Roland Garros. Nevertheless, Djokovic demonstrated fluid movement and no hesitation on the All England Club’s grass courts.
With a 19-6 record for the year, Djokovic is set to face British wild card Jacob Fearnley, who secured a 7-5, 6-4, 7-6(12) victory over qualifier Alejandro Moro Canas. Djokovic aims to match Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles.
Alexander Zverev Advances, Francisco Comesana Stuns Andrey Rublev
Alexander Zverev led strong performances from the Top 10 stars in the PIF ATP Rankings at Wimbledon on Tuesday, though World No. 6 Andrey Rublev was the highest-ranked player to be defeated at the grass-court major thus far.
Fourth seed Zverev smoothly overcame Roberto Carballes Baena with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory on No. 1 Court, marking his seventh second-round achievement in eight appearances at SW19. The German unleashed 46 winners, including 18 aces, in a commanding opening win at a tournament where he has not yet made the quarter-finals.
Zverev’s one-hour and 53-minute victory over Carballes Baena sets up a second-round clash with either Marcos Giron or local wildcard Henry Searle in London. His record for the year in Grand Slam matches now stands at 12-2, following semi-final participation at the Australian Open and a final appearance at Roland Garros.
Meanwhile, on No. 2 Court, Rublev’s unblemished record in Wimbledon’s opening rounds ended when Argentine Francisco Comesana, ranked 122nd in the world, stunned the sixth seed 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(5). The match, interrupted by rain, saw Comesana convert four out of five break points to secure a notable victory in only his second grass-court match at any level, whether professional or junior.
Comesana’s prize for his victory, his first in four tour-level attempts, is a second-round match with Adam Walton. The Australian secured his first major win by defeating Federico Coria 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.
Rublev’s loss impacts his position in the PIF ATP Rankings, as the 26-year-old was defending quarter-final points from Wimbledon 2023 and has now fallen behind Hubert Hurkacz to seventh in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
Rublev remains in eighth place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, missing a significant opportunity to advance his Nitto ATP Finals qualification efforts at the All England Club.
