Clinical Djokovic blows away cobwebs

THE rain cleared, the roof opened above Centre Court and soon most of the cobwebs lingering around Novak Djokovic had been blown away, too. This was more like it from the defending champion. Having stumbled into round two, Djokovic dispatched Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 with little fuss.

It was clinical and ominous for those hoping to break the 35-year-old’s stranglehold on this place, tightened through 23 straight wins over four years. On this evidence, Djokovic will take some dislodging. ‘A high-quality performance,’ said the Serb. ‘I am pleased with how I’ve raised the level in the past two days.’ Few had a better view yesterday than Boris Becker’s girlfriend Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro, and his son Noah. Both watched from Djokovic’s box. He has been communicating with his imprisoned former coach through the family. ‘It breaks my heart to see what’s happening to him. I can only imagine how hard it is for them,’ he said. Down below, the die was cast as early as the second point. Kokkinakis, 26, drew first blood with a deft drop shot. On point two, the Australian broke a string. ‘That rattled me,’ he said. Within 10 minutes, Djokovic was 3-0 up. He wrapped up the first set in half an hour. ‘Playing a wall. That’s what it felt like,’ admitted Kokkinakis.

He saved four set points to make Djokovic serve for the second set, but the Serb did and then broke immediately in the third. One punishing rally ended with supporters on their feet — and Kokkinakis’s racket on the floor. He fell to the ground shortly after and ran out of ideas. ‘Make him work for it!’ one supporter shouted. Kokkinakis stretched out his arms, helpless. That task now falls to Miomir Kecmanovic in round three.