Champion Djokovic turns on the style

NOVAK DJOKOVIC cruised past Thanasi Kokkinakis and into the third round to serve notice that he will not give up his Wimbledon crown without a fight.

Djokovic needed four sets to overcome Korean Soonwoo Kwon in the first round.

However, 48 hours later, he looked more like his old self in a 6-1 6-4 6-2 rout on Centre Court.

The 35-year-old Serb, below, who is chasing Nadal’s record of 22 Majors, was in destructive mood.

His all-round game was so good that the title holder did not even need to deliver an ace until midway through the final set.

He is also hunting a seventh Wimbledon crown that would put him level with American legend Pete Sampras – and one behind the greatest of them all on grass, Roger Federer.

Djokovic said: “You don’t think about numbers when you start playing tennis. “Ninety-nine per cent of children, when they grab a racket, have dreams and passion for the sport.

“When you get down on yourself, you are going back to that inner child and remembering why you started to play the sport, and anything you achieve is a bonus.

“I’m very happy with my performance.”

Djokovic, meanwhile, has pledged his support to former coach Boris Becker, who is serving a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence after failing to declare assets relating to his 2017 bankruptcy.

He invited Becker’s girlfriend Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro and the fallen star’s eldest son, Noah, to watch him in the second round.

Djokovic said: “I’ve just been trying to give support to people around him, his closest people, his family members, because I consider Boris a family member – someone that I greatly appreciate, respect and care about.”