Novak Djokovic has taken the first set 6-4 against Yibing Wu in the opening round of Wimbledon 2026 on Centre Court. The seven-time champion, seeded seventh this year, is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title. The men's draw is notably missing two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz, sidelined with a persistent arm injury, and defending champion Jannik Sinner struggled in a five-set win over Miomir Kecmanovic.
Djokovic's Dominance in the First Set
Djokovic broke Wu's serve early and held firm under pressure, saving a break point in the 10th game before clinching the set 6-4 in 38 minutes. The Serb's experience shone through as he mixed powerful serves with deft drop shots, drawing applause from the Centre Court crowd. Wu, ranked outside the top 100, showed resilience but was unable to convert his chances.
Wu's Challenge
Wu, who lost to Britain's Jan Choinski in the Eastbourne Open qualifying last week and was beaten in the last 16 at Nottingham despite being seeded third, started brightly in the second set. He held his serve to love in the first game and created break opportunities in the fourth game, but Djokovic's big serves bailed him out. The Chinese player's aggressive style forced Djokovic to scramble, but errors at key moments proved costly.
Wide-Open Draw
Djokovic's path to the final looks promising with Alexander Zverev, the second seed and newly-crowned French Open winner, not at his best on grass. Sinner's shaky start also offers hope for the 39-year-old Serb, who is aiming to add to his Wimbledon titles. The match continues with Djokovic leading 6-4, 2-3 in the second set.
