The sixth seed’s stellar display ensured that he became only the third player to claim 100 match wins
“I’m very grateful, obviously, privileged to be in the position that I am,” Djokovic said
LONDON: Seven-times Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic roared his way to a rare century at the grasscourt Grand Slam on Saturday when he outclassed Serbian compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3 6-0 6-4 and reached the fourth round in his quest for a record 25th major.
The sixth seed’s stellar display ensured that he became only the third player to claim 100 match wins on the All England Club lawns after nine-times champion Martina Navratilova and eight-times winner Roger Federer.
“It’s very historic. It sounds very nice. I’m very grateful, obviously, privileged to be in the position that I am,” the 38-year-old Djokovic said.
“I’ve said it many times. Tennis made me who I am, has given me incredible things in life that I can experience. I try not to take anything for granted, particularly at this age, still going strong, still trying to compete with the young players.
“Wimbledon is a favorite and a dream tournament for not just myself, but probably the majority of players. Growing up, most of the kids dream of playing here and winning here.
“I’ve been blessed to do it multiple times. Any history that I make in my favorite tournament, I’m blessed.”
Djokovic started and finished the opening set with aces and grabbed the decisive break during the see-sawing eighth game. At one point he had the Center Court crowd standing in ovation when he produced a spectacular diving winner at the net.
His 49th-ranked Davis Cup teammate cracked on serve in the opening game of the second set and allowed Djokovic to quickly reel off the games and double his advantage in what suddenly became a lopsided contest.
Kecmanovic raised his fist to applause when he stemmed the flow at the start of the third set but a double fault gifted his opponent the break in the third game and Djokovic overcame a slight wobble at the end to prevail.
“I have enjoyed myself very much except maybe the last couple of games,” added Djokovic, who will take on Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur for a place in the quarter-finals.
“A bit of tension in the end, I was 5-1 up and 15-30 and then 5-4, 15-30. Things got a bit complicated... It’s never easy playing a friend and compatriot. Miomir is a super nice guy, someone that I have known for many years.
“We’ve faced each other on different surfaces, different courts. But more than rivals and competitors, we’re friends and teammates. I wish him all the very best.”
Djokovic thumps Kecmanovic for Wimbledon ton and spot in last 16
Djokovic thumps Kecmanovic for Wimbledon ton and spot in last 16
Hosts Morocco off to winning start at Africa Cup of Nations
- Soufiane Rahimi had a penalty saved in a frustrating first half for much-fancied Morocco
- Win saw Morocco, Africa’s best team in FIFA rankings in 11th place, to extend world-record winning run to 19 consecutive matches
RABAT: Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El-Kaabi scored second-half goals as hosts Morocco got their Africa Cup of Nations bid off to a winning start by beating minnows Comoros 2-0 in the tournament’s opening game on Sunday.
Soufiane Rahimi had a penalty saved in a frustrating first half for much-fancied Morocco, but Diaz fired home from inside the area 10 minutes after the interval at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in the capital Rabat.
Substitute El-Kaabi then got the second with a stunning overhead kick, and the victory on a wet and cold night sets the Atlas Lions up for the potentially tougher tests to come in Group A against Mali and Zambia.
The result also allowed Morocco, Africa’s best team in the FIFA rankings in 11th place, to extend their world-record winning run to 19 consecutive matches.
The game was played out before a crowd of 60,180, with Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan — who appeared on the pitch ahead of kick-off — and FIFA president Gianni Infantino among those in attendance.
Morocco’s star man and captain Achraf Hakimi also ended up watching the entire game from the bench, with coach Walid Regragui preserving the Paris Saint-Germain full-back who has not played since suffering an ankle injury with his club at the start of November.
It looked set to be a long night for Comoros when Morocco won a penalty in the 10th minute as playmaker Diaz was tripped inside the box by Iyad Mohamed.
But Rahimi’s spot-kick was kept out by the legs of Yannick Pandor as the Comoros goalkeeper dived to his right, and the visitors then succeeded in thwarting their more illustrious hosts for the remainder of the first half.
- Stunning overhead kick -
However Morocco, who also saw veteran center-back Romain Saiss come off injured early on, succeeded in breaking down their opponents after half-time.
Comoros, the tiny Indian Ocean archipelago who are 108th in the world rankings, had their resistance ended as the opening goal arrived on 55 minutes.
Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui, starting at right-back with Hakimi not yet quite fully fit, picked up the ball on the right side of the penalty area and squared for Real Madrid’s Spanish-born number 10 Diaz to score.
Morocco, who had seen Neil El Aynaoui almost break the deadlock just before that, then saw space open up although Comoros had a chance of their own as Rafiki Said was denied when clean through on goal.
Mazraoui forced a good save from Pandor before El-Kaabi, of Greek giants Olympiakos, lit up the occasion by meeting a cross in from the left by Anass Salah-Eddine with a magnificent overhead bicycle kick to make it 2-0.
Morocco’s next game will be on Friday against Mali, who begin their campaign by taking on Zambia in Casablanca on Monday.
Elsewhere on Monday, South Africa face Angola in Marrakech before Mohamed Salah’s Egypt — the record seven-time African champions chasing a first title since 2010 — get their bid up and running against outsiders Zimbabwe in Agadir in Group B.
This latest edition of the Cup of Nations is the first to start in one year and end in another, with the final to take place in Rabat on January 18.
