It’s the second week of Wimbledon. On Centre Court, the grass behind the baseline has worn thin and brown. Up in the Royal Box, the king has arrived: Roger Federer walks down the aisle to his plum seat while shaking hands and smiling politely to the strangers around him, such as Joe Root and Michael McIntyre. And below them, for the first time this Championships, Novak Djokovic faces a fellow seeded player.
After swatting aside his first three opponents while losing only one service game, Djokovic finally faced a serious test. Alex de Minaur is still yet to reach a grand-slam semi-final but he has made the quarter-finals in all four majors and it is only a matter of time before the 26-year-old goes much further, having won nine titles on tour. What unfolded here was a wild ride brimming with skill and endeavour from both players, as Djokovic fought back to a 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory.
