Defeat was that year’s quarter-finals when Djokovic was forced to retire against Tomas Berdych at 7-6, 2-0. He then won the title in 2018 and 2019. The tournament in 2020 was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, before he won it again in 2021 and 2022.
“A little bit of strange circumstances with the roof being closed and us delaying the match for almost an hour and a half,” said Djokovic. “It was very strange that for more than an hour the situation was not changing at all for better. I think they’re tracking right now. I think they will probably answer this question better for you, whether it’s the air-conditioning system, it was quite humid, so that didn’t help. It was a solid start though.
Already the 24-year-old has equalled his second round runs on the grass in 2021 and 2022. Afterwards he said he had felt nervous. “Well, I think it’s just this place is a bit special,” said Ruud. “My father and I, we don’t have the greatest record at Wimbledon . Any time we can pick up a win, it’s big for the family.”
“I think he just has taken like defensive tennis on to a new level,” said Ruud. “The way he moves and the way he’s able to counterpunch and counterattack from deep, out to the side of the court, and it’s just really tough to kind of hit winners against him, because he moves well and he gets to certain shots and balls that you don’t think that he will get to.”