Novak Djokovic survives scare to win first-round clash at Wimbledon

Serbian defending champion overcomes South Korea's Kwon Soon-woo in four sets on Centre Court

Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after beating Korea's Kwon Soon-woo in four sets in their men's first-round singles match on day one of the Wimbledon Championships in London on Monday, June 27, 2022. AP

Novak Djokovic celebrates beating Kwon Soon-woo of South Korea in four sets. EPA

Novak Djokovic plays a forehand against Kwon Soon-woo of South Korea. Getty

Novak Djokovic celebrates his win. Getty

Novak Djokovic hits a backhand against Kwon Soon-woo. EPA

Novak Djokovic in action during his first-round match against Kwon Soon-woo. Reuters

Novak Djokovic serves against Kwon Soon-woo. Getty

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns against Kwon Soon-woo. AP

Serbia's Novak Djokovic stretches to make a return. AP

Kwon Soon-woo in action against Novak Djokovic. PA

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to South Korea's Kwon Soon-woo. AFP

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns. AP

Novak Djokovic dives for the ball against Kwon Soon-woo. AP

Kwon Soon-woo of South Korea hits a forehand. EPA

Novak Djokovic serves. Getty

Novak Djokovic takes a tumble against Kwon Soon-woo. Reuters

Novak Djokovic of Serbia goes down against Kwon Soon-woo. Getty

Kwon Soon-woo returns. Reuters

Novak Djokovic admitted he was ring rusty on his Wimbledon return, but he still set another record by battling past South Korean Kwon Soon-woo in four sets.

The six-time champion, who was playing his first official match on grass since winning last year's final, found himself a break down in both the first two sets, dropping the second.

Kwon proved an awkward opponent with his aggressive shot-making but Djokovic, as he has so many times in the past, eventually found a way through the world number 81.

The 35-year-old has now become the only player in history to win 80 matches at all four Grand Slam events.

After sealing a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory with an ace, Djokovic said: “This court is truly special for me. It is the court I dreamt of playing and winning on, and all my dreams came true on this court.

“Credit to Kwon for playing some really high-quality tennis. Starting the tournament I didn't have any lead-up tournaments or matches so you are always going to feel less comfortable than you would like to, especially against someone as talented as Kwon.

“It was really difficult to go through him so I had to figure out a way tactically to get in control of the points.

“I faced a break point in the third which, if he had won, the match could have gone a different way.

“I owe a lot to this sport. I'm not one of the youngsters any more but the love and the flame for this sport still burns for me.

“At this stage of my career I try to save my best for the Grand Slams. Now we got to 80 wins, let's get to 100.”

Djokovic will now face Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis, who beat Pole Kamil Majchrzak 7-6, 6-2, 7-5, in the second round.

Third seed Casper Ruud eased through to the second round with a straight-sets win over Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain.

Ruud, who was runner-up to Rafael Nadal at the French Open earlier this month, came through 7-6, 7-6, 6-2.

The Norwegian had fallen at the first-round stage in his previous two visits to the All England Club.

He will face France's Ugo Humbert, who beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, for a place in the last 32.

British No 1 Cameron Norrie became the first UK player to win at this year's championships when he beat Spain's Pablo Andujar 6-0, 7-6, 6-4. He will face another Spaniard, Jaume Munar, in the next round.

Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina won a final-set tiebreak against Hubert Hurkacz of Poland to knock out the seventh seed and last year's semi-finalist.

The 23-year-old's 7-6, 6-4, 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 victory was his first at Wimbledon after his opening round defeat on debut last year.