Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic cruised past Britain’s Dan Evans in straight sets on Centre Court, in what may prove to be the 34-year-old’s final appearance at the All England Club.
Djokovic, 38, delivered a clinical performance in the second round, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 in just under two hours. Evans, now ranked 154th and competing as a wildcard, was unable to find any answers to the Serbian great’s relentless precision and power.
It was a serving masterclass from the 24-time Grand Slam winner, who dropped just nine points on serve and left Evans shaking his head in disbelief at times. The Briton managed to win only nine of 58 return points (16%) and was unable to earn a single break point opportunity.
Djokovic, seeded sixth this year, also showed his trademark returning prowess, converting six of 16 break points. The dominant display earned him a 99th career win at Wimbledon, as he continues his pursuit of a record-equalling eighth title at SW19 and a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam overall.
“Facing a Brit at Wimbledon is never easy — the crowd creates a special atmosphere,” Djokovic said in his post-match interview. “Dan’s a very talented player with great touch. But I felt I executed everything perfectly today. Sometimes, it just flows.”
Djokovic now sets up an all-Serbian third-round clash against Miomir Kecmanovic, with a place in the last 16 on the line.
A Sentimental Farewell?
For Evans, the match may mark the end of an era. Once ranked as high as world number 21, the British veteran has been plagued by injuries and a dip in form that briefly saw him fall outside the world’s top 200 earlier this year.
Despite recently hinting that retirement isn’t immediately on the cards, Evans admitted in his pre-tournament press conference that the emotional weight of his struggles has been difficult to bear. His reaction after defeating fellow wildcard Jay Clarke in the first round — his first Wimbledon win since 2021 — showed just how much it meant to him.
“I don’t know if this will be my last Wimbledon,” Evans said post-match. “We’ll see what the rest of the year brings. I’ll definitely have a conversation at the end of the season about what comes next.
“It’s not getting any easier — waking up after matches is hard now.”
The Centre Court crowd gave Evans a warm send-off, with many of the 15,000 fans staying behind to applaud him off the court. Though he had believed an upset might be possible, the gulf in class became clear as Djokovic broke through on his 10th break point in the opening set and ran away with the match from there, winning 13 of the last 15 games.
“I felt confident going in,” Evans said. “Of course, I’m disappointed. But I’ll look back at this moment with pride. It was special.”
Pinnington Jones Exits Wimbledon After Second-Round Loss to Cobolli
British wildcard Jack Pinnington Jones saw his Wimbledon debut come to an end in the second round after falling to Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in straight sets.
After an impressive first-round upset over world number 27 Tomas Martin Etcheverry, the 22-year-old was unable to maintain that momentum, losing 6-1, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 on Court 18.
Cobolli, ranked 48th, dominated the opening set with powerful serving and consistent baseline play. Pinnington Jones showed resilience in the second set, breaking back and leading 3-0 in the tiebreak, but the Italian fought back to edge it 8-6.
The loss of that tight second set appeared to deflate the British hopeful, and he was broken twice more in the third as Cobolli sealed his spot in round three.
Despite the defeat, Pinnington Jones leaves Wimbledon with his first Grand Slam win under his belt and valuable experience on the big stage.
