Novak Djokovic was forced to dig deep as he beat Yibing Wu in an extraordinary first-round affair at Wimbledon.
The seven-time champion was pushed to the limit by the world No99, who had been knocked out in the first qualifying round at the Eastbourne Open the week previously, and the last 16 of the Nottingham Challenger a fortnight ago.
However, the Chinese stunned everyone on Centre Court - most notably Djokovic - playing out of his skin to drag the seventh seed into deep water.
Things looked to be going routinely for the 24-time Grand Slam winner as he began his campaign for that elusive 25th that would extend his record for most major titles ever in the men’s game.
He closed out the opening set 6-4, breaking in the third game, as his quality began to tell.
But Wu, buoyed by the raucous Wimbledon faithful, did not lie down, and he roared back in the second, breaking at an unbelievable time - with Djokovic serving to stay in the set - to level the scores and send Centre into raptures.
Cries of “Wuuuu” met every winner and ace the Chinese hit, as he continued to endear himself as the British specators’ darling for the evening.
Into the third we went, and again, it seemed as though Djokovic would wrap things up in timely fashion, as he broke through at the decisive moment - to go up 5-4 - to bring himself to within a set of the second round.
Wu would not go down without a real dogfight, and he continued to muster shots that he could only have dreamed of when his head hit the pillow last night.
Outrageous returns, taken so early, and line winners exuded the confidence that was flowing through him, but at 39, Djokovic is a wily old fox.
Finally, he cornered his prey, and he made his move. 4-4 once more, and that was where the tide turned, refusing to miss, and forcing his more inexperienced opponent to hammer long.
Three match points were what he served himself, but he only needed the one. He is through to the second round - just - where he faces a familiar face, Stefanos Tsitsipas, next.
