Novak Djokovic is used to signing all manner of memorabilia at Wimbledon. T-shirts, autograph balls, programmes. Yet, there is a first time for everything. And for the No.1 player in the world that happened as he walked off Centre Court following his 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 dismantling of Australia’s Bernard Tomic.
Among the numerous requests for selfies and scribblings, a smartly-dressed gentleman asked the Serb to sign his name on a prosthetic limb, and Djokovic obliged. “I hope I gave him some luck and he’s going to feel better,” he said.
Luck was something that Tomic needed against the Serb, who was rarely troubled during the 92-minute encounter, serving 15 aces, the last of those to close out the match.
The green-and-gold clad Aussie supporters, known as the Fanatics, had been been hoping for a repeat of the earlier success achieved by countryman Nick Kyrgios, who ousted the No.7 Milos Raonic on No.2 Court.
I think I executed tactically everything I intended before the match to move him around the court
But the raucous chanting, clapping and cheers for "Bernie'' that echoed around the stadium during the warm-up were soon silenced.
Djokovic was simply too good. He drew the underdog in with deft drop shots before sending winning lobs over the head of his 6ft 5in opponent. Tomic could only look on in disbelief as the first two sets slipped away from him in under an hour.
Although the 22-year-old threatened to break in the first and sixth games of the third set he was denied the opportunity to convert. Djokovic simply upped his game, producing sublime tennis when required.
“I just I guess try to get extra concentrated in those moments when I'm down love‑30 or a break point,” Djokovic said. "Obviously I know the importance of holding your serve on the grass court. It's not easy to break players like Bernard, who have a good serve.
“I managed to get a lot of returns back in play. I think I executed tactically everything I intended before the match to move him around the court, mix up the pace, not really give him the same look. I think overall I played a really, really good match.”
Of course, claiming the scalp of Nole was always going to be a tall ask for Tomic. The defending champion was entering the match on a 3-0 head-to-head winning streak and had not lost to a player ranked as low as Tomic at a Grand Slam since falling to No.27 ranked Jurgen Melzer at 2010 Roland Garros.
“He was playing very good,” Tomic said. “It just shows you why he's the best. Those tough games, the score looked a lot closer than it was. It was very close in moments, but somehow in those big points he just gets that... I can't even describe it in words. Too good, too good. To get to that level, you need to work hard.”
“There is nothing specifically I've been working on,” he said. “Just every stroke in my game is getting better each match. That is something that is obviously very encouraging to see.
"I'm pleased with the performances so far. The second week is obviously always more challenging, more difficult than the first week. But I'm ready for it now. I have two days. I'm going to work on the court, get myself recovered and ready for a challenge that is presented in the second week.”
“I think he is probably playing the tennis of his life all in all. He's reached the highest ranking now in his career. He keeps on going forward. I think he improved his movement and his game from the baseline. He always had a very good serve. I think it's going to be a game of very small margins that will be decided by a few points.
