Novak Djokovic vs Wu Yibing — 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4

Result

Novak Djokovic's 103rd Wimbledon win did not come easily. The seven-time champion needed four sets, and survived a second-set wobble, to see off China's Wu Yibing — ranked outside the top 100 — 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4 on Centre Court in the first round. The oddity is in the box score: Wu out-hit Djokovic on winners, 54 to 35, and matched him ace-for-ace at 15 apiece, but sprayed 40 unforced errors and converted just one of eleven break points. Djokovic took three of his six. On grass the returner who makes you play one more ball still wins the afternoon, and Djokovic afterwards admitted he could have lost the fourth.

Novak Djokovic

Wu Yibing

15Aces15

0Double faults1

69%1st serve in67%

78%1st-serve points won71%

55%2nd-serve points won60%

127 mphFastest serve134 mph

3/6Break points won1/11

35Winners54

26Unforced errors40

11/17Net points won6/12

136Total points won123

2302 mDistance run2391 m

Stats: Official wimbledon.com match statistics (IBM) · as of 2026-07-09

Rows the source hadn’t published are left off rather than guessed.

At this Stage

Djokovic has never lost a Wimbledon first-round match, and the record never looked in genuine danger — though Wu made him check the fine print for a set on Centre Court. The seven-time champion, chasing a record-equalling eighth title, conceded the second set to a man with one career tour-level grass win before reasserting himself in four; he admitted afterwards the fourth could have slipped too. Win No. 103 at these Championships goes into the books with a raised eyebrow attached. For Wu, the biggest stage of his career and plenty to keep from it; for Djokovic, a last-64 meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas — dispatched, when it came, in straight sets.

Hugo Gaston

Stefanos Tsitsipas✓

Jun 29–30

6-1 6-4 6-2

Novak Djokovic✓

Wu Yibing

Jun 29–30

6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4

Novak Djokovic✓

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Jul 1–2

6-3 6-4 6-2

Round of 128

Hugo Gaston

Stefanos Tsitsipas✓

Jun 29–30

6-1 6-4 6-2

Novak Djokovic✓

Wu Yibing

Jun 29–30

6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4

Round of 64

Novak Djokovic✓

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Jul 1–2

6-3 6-4 6-2

What we know now

Tale of the tape

Novak DjokovicWu Yibing

39Age26

6′2″ (1.88 m)Height6′0″ (1.83 m)

77 kg (170 lb)Weight80 kg (176 lb)

Right-handed, two-handed backhandPlaysRight-handed, two-handed backhand

2003Turned pro2017

No. 8ATP rankingNo. 102

10–42026 win–loss—

125–21Career on grass—

24Grand Slam titles0

Champion (×7)Best at WimbledonFirst round

Viktor TroickiCoach—

Player vitals: ATP Tour player profiles and Wikipedia (career records) · as of 2026-07-09.

The briefing