Djokovic sweeps aside Anderson despite more falls on Centre Court

Novak Djokovic’s bid for a hat-trick of Wimbledon crowns continued at the All-England Club this afternoon with victory over big-serving South African Kevin Anderson in straight sets.

The Serb was clinical throughout his 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win, not offering his opponent a single break point during the 1hr 41mins on Centre Court.

It seems the only thing that can stop Djokovic’s march to his sixth Wimbledon title is the dew underneath his feet. He slipped four times in this match – but even won one point from the turf as he forced Anderson into an error while prone on the grass.

His performance was almost flawless. The pivotal moment of the first set came in the eighth game – the champion breaking to love – capped by a brutal cross-court backhand which was too powerful for Anderson to return.

That sloppy service game from Anderson was all that Djokovic needed – hurrying through his next service game, also to love, to take the set in 32 minutes.

Having taken the first, Djokovic looked to pounce early in the second set. The Serb returned an Anderson serve during the first game which most players wouldn’t even have laid a racket on – the South African hitting his response into the net to bring up a break point for Djokovic. But as has happened so often in his career, Anderson’s serve pulled him through the game.

Djokovic, on the other hand, was having no such problems with his service games, and it seemed only a matter of time before he would indeed break again. Forty minutes into the match, Djokovic had made just two unforced errors – in fact he made just six all match.

He was finding his touch, too. A wonderful backhand sliced drop-shot secured the second set’s fourth game for 2-2.

The key moment of the second set came in the seventh game, when Djokovic lofted a sublime backhand lob over Anderson’s head and on to the baseline to break for 4-3.

Like in the first set, the one chance was all this great champion needed. He rushed through a love game for 5-3, and broke again in the ninth game for 6-3.

The third set went to serve until the inevitable happened again and Djokovic broke. Anderson put a forehand wide when under no pressure, before following that up with a double fault – his fourth of the match to make it 5-3 Djokovic, the Serb holding to 30 in the next game to win in 1hr 40mins – repeating the straight sets victory he won over Anderson in the 2018 final here.

Djokovic and Roger Federer had both bemoaned the conditions on Centre Court earlier this week – Serena Williams’ shock retirement yesterday came just an hour after Adrian Mannarino had pulled out following a fall against Roger Federer.

Williams issued a statement last night, saying: “I was heartbroken to have to withdraw today after injuring my right leg. My love and gratitude are with the fans and the team who make being on Centre Court so meaningful.

“Feeling the extraordinary warmth and support of the crowd today when I walked on – and off – the court meant the world to me.”

But former players such as Boris Becker said slippery surfaces at the All England Club were nothing new.

And after today’s match Djokovic was keen to play down the issue. He said: “I don’t think it’s about courts. Obviously it was raining for few days. Maybe first match under roof, the humidity affects the moisture, the kind of surface of the grass, and it becomes a bit more slippery than in normal circumstances.

“But I think the fact that I didn’t play on grass courts for two years, the fact that I’m coming from several months of clay courts, that is a surface completely different in terms of movement and bounce and everything to the grass, the surface in which you slide at all times, I think I’m still adjusting my movement, adapting myself to this surface. It’s been, as I said, only two matches.

“Hopefully as the tournament progresses I’ll also fall less, even though I don’t mind falling more if the result is winning a match.”

The opening days of these Championships haven been played mainly under the roofs of Centre and No.1 Court due to the inclement weather so far this week – and Federer said he felt the problem was due to a lack of wind a fresh air meaning the courts were unable to properly dry out under the roof.

But falls have been just as common on the outside courts, and the issue is threatening to become the dominant talking point of these Championships. The sun cannot come out soon enough.