Wimbledon, day two: Alex de Minaur ousts James Duckworth as Novak Djokovic eases through

Novak Djokovic needed a mere one hour and 58 minutes to wipe Centre Court while ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur survived a few curly moments to beat countryman James Duckworth.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Czech Republic's Vit Kopriva during their men's singles tennis match on the second day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.

Novak Djokovic looks rather sturdily built on TV. In the flesh at Wimbledon, about a metre away on the players’ terrace after an imposing start to his campaign at the All England Club, he’s incredibly lean. As fit and light as a long-distance runner ... and in an ebullient mood after a swift 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 thrashing of Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva.

The legendary Serb underwent knee surgery a few weeks ago. He was racing the clock to be fit for Wimbledon and so far, so good, for the 24-time major champion. He needed a mere one hour and 58 minutes to wipe Centre Court with a sorely outclassed opponent while wearing a gray knee sleeve that seemed to contravene Wimbledon’s all-white policy.

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“Of course, we did check in the days prior if we have permission,” Djokovic said. “We’re trying to find a white one, trust me. I saw when Frances Tiafoe played, he had a black colour sleeve. Gray, I think, is maybe slightly better towards the white. I know it’s not ideal. I like to go all-white and I like to respect the rules. But I got the permission. I said to them that I will give our best for the next match for the white one.”

On a good day for Australia, ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur survived a few curly moments to beat countryman James Duckworth 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4); Alexei Popyrin defeated Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro 6-4, 6-7(8/10), 6-3, 6-4 for his first win at Wimbledon in five years; and Adam Walton defeated Argentina’s Federico Coria 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 to taste victory at a major for the first time. Ajla Tomljanovic, however, had an outing to forget, thrashed 6-1, 6-2 by Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko. At the time of writing, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Rinky Hijikata were yet to complete their matches.

The bandaged knee of Serbia's Novak Djokovic as he returns the ball to Czech Republic's Vit Kopriva during their men's singles tennis match on the second day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.

Australia's James Duckworth returns against Australia's Alex De Minaur.

Duckworth served for the second and third sets but de Minaur survived. “It definitely wasn’t easy, by any means,” he said. “It’s never easy playing a fellow Aussie. Playing Ducks, who is a great grass-court player, and starting your Wimbledon campaign, it’s not easy but I’m happy to be through.”

Duckworth said: “I don’t think it was his best match. He’d probably say that as well. He could have played better. First round, another Aussie, nervous. He hasn’t played a match for 10 days or so. A number of factors go into that. But he’s a very good player, especially on this surface. He’s only going to get better from this match and I hope he wins the tournament.”

An unexpected presence in Djokovic’s courtside box was England’s seven-time world snooker champion, Ronnie O’Sullivan. ”I’m his fan,” Djokovic said. “I watch snooker just because of him. I watched when I was a kid … and I only watched Ronnie. Whenever he would not play, I would not watch. We had an interaction for the first time, and it was great. He was one of the sporting greats … it was really nice to have him around. Hopefully we’re able to play some snooker because I’m really bad. I’m okay at pool or billiards but snooker - I tried it twice and it’s tough. He’s a really, really nice person. Nice guy. And very funny.”

Djokovic’s injury remains a gray area. The real test of his knee will come in tougher matches. “I didn’t know how I’m going to feel on the court and how the knee is going to hold up,” he said. “But I’m very happy with the way I felt, the way I played and the way I moved. For an opening match, I couldn’t ask for a better start.”

Australia's Alex De Minaur celebrates winning against Australia's James Duckworth during their men's singles tennis match on the second day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.

Earlier, Marketa Vondrousova was shocked 6-4, 6-2 by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. It was the first time the defending ladies’ champion had been beaten in the opening round since Lori McNeil stunned three-time defending champion Steffi Graf in 1994.

Maneiro is a 21-year-old Spaniard who had not won a match at a major, or on grass, until Tuesday.

She has ‘SHH’ tattoed on her left index finger. Telling her critics to shoosh. “When you’re a tennis player, you have a lot of persons who say that you cannot do it, you’re so bad, you don’t have tennis, you don’t have these qualities, your effort is not so good,” she said.

“To these people it’s like a shut up to them. Not for the good people. It’s funny for me. I have feelings with this tattoo because I said one time if I do something good, for these people, I will do it. I feel so happy right now. It’s one of the most beautiful experiences in my life.”