Novak Djokovic overcame a mid-match health scare to launch his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title with a first-round victory at Wimbledon. The Serbian veteran thanked “doctors’ miracle pills” after feeling unwell during his late-night match on Centre Court.
Djokovic, a seven-time champion at the All England Club, defeated France’s World No. 41 Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-2. He dominated the first set with three service breaks, but Muller fought back to take the second set in a tense 9-7 tiebreaker.
“I enjoyed myself, obviously a bit less in the second set,” Djokovic said after the match. “I went from feeling my absolute best for a set-and-a-half to my absolute worst for about 45 minutes. Whether it was a stomach bug, I don’t know what it is. I struggled with that, but the energy came back after some doctors’ miracle pills, and I managed to finish the match on a good note.”
The 38-year-old Djokovic has reached every Wimbledon final since 2018. Acknowledging the rising competition from Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Italy’s Jannik Sinner, he knows the younger generation is eager to make their mark on men’s tennis.
Jannik Sinner, currently top-ranked, got his Wimbledon campaign off to an ideal start by sweeping past Luca Nardi 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 in an all-Italian opener. “First matches are never easy, so I’m very happy about my performance,” the 23-year-old said. “It’s a new tournament, new chances, new challenges. You have one opponent at a time.”
In a surprising upset, third-seeded Alexander Zverev lost to France’s Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(3), 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 in a marathon first-round match that was suspended overnight. The defeat marks the German’s earliest Grand Slam exit since 2019. Rinderknech, ranked 72nd in the world, showcased resilience to secure only his second career victory at Wimbledon.
Zverev has reached the fourth round at Wimbledon three times but has yet to progress further. His early exit opens opportunities for other players to advance in the tournament.
