Djokovic Dismantles Tsitsipas in 98 Minutes to Reach Wimbledon Round Three

Novak Djokovic turned back the clock at the All England Club on Wednesday, delivering a clinical demolition of Stefanos Tsitsipas that had pundits reaching for words like "vintage." The 39-year-old Serb is back in business — and the rest of the draw has been warned.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Djokovic dispatched Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in just 98 minutes, according to BBC Sport — a scoreline that flatters the Greek far more than the actual tennis suggested. The second set was the sharpest burst of tennis seen on Centre Court this fortnight: Djokovic won 100% of points behind his first serve and committed just a single unforced error across the entire set. Over the full match, he logged only seven unforced errors. That is machine-like precision on the sport's biggest stage.

For context, Tsitsipas spent the bulk of the past decade inside the top ten. Ranked 87th now following injury struggles, he arrived as a tricky opponent on paper — but Djokovic made it look routine.

'Vintage' Is the Word

Asked about his performance by the Centre Court crowd after the match, Djokovic embraced the "vintage" label with a grin. "I like the terminology 'vintage', it is nice because it brings back the best days," he said. "Obviously you feel very happy, satisfied and joyful on the court when you are playing this way."

Former British number one Tim Henman echoed the sentiment on BBC broadcast duty, calling it "Djokovic in full flow." Henman didn't sugarcoat the one-sided nature of the contest: "The way Djokovic just absolutely dismantled him was incredibly impressive. He went out there and executed."

In the stands, Masters champion Rory McIlroy watched from the Royal Box — and Djokovic cheekily floated the idea of challenging him to a tennis match, with the green jacket as the prize. Even at 39, the man knows how to work a crowd.

History in His Sights

The stakes could not be higher for Djokovic at SW19. An eighth Wimbledon title would equal the all-time record, and a 25th Grand Slam crown would stand alone in the history books. Djokovic has been chasing that kind of legacy-defining glory for years, and right now his grass-court game looks sharp enough to deliver it.

This is his first full season back competing at this level, and there were some rustiness concerns after he needed over three hours to get past Wu Yibing in round one. Wednesday answered those questions emphatically. The draw presented challenges from the outset, but Djokovic is navigating it with authority.

Next up is French 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in round three — a winnable match if Djokovic brings anything close to this level.

Sinner Grinds Through on the Same Court

Earlier on Centre Court, world number one Jannik Sinner secured his own place in round three, beating Portugal's Nuno Borges 7-6(4), 7-6(2), 6-4 in two hours and 32 minutes. The defending champion was not at his clinical best — 29 unforced errors is a high count for Sinner — but he raised his game in the clutch moments and sealed nine consecutive wins at the All England Club.

Borges, ranked 48th, gave Sinner real problems and entertained the crowd throughout, but couldn't hold his nerve when it mattered. Sinner moves on to face American Jenson Brooksby, the world number 81.

Two Champions, One Message

Wimbledon 2025 is shaping up to be a two-horse race at the top. The early signs from both Djokovic and the leading contenders have been eye-catching. Sinner is the reigning champion grinding his way into form. Djokovic is the seven-time winner playing like he never left.

At 39, Djokovic is right: age is just a number — especially when you're winning second sets without dropping a single point on serve.