NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS GIVEN A MAJOR SCARE ON CENTRE COURT BY BRITISH WILDCARD - AND WORLD NO 277 - JACOB FEARNLEY TO REACH WIMBLEDON'S THIRD ROUND

• Novak Djokovic is through Wimbledon's third round but it was far from easy
• British wildcard Jacob Fearnley came close to forcing a deciding set on Centre 
• Djokovic had nothing but praise for Fearnley's tenacity following the match 

Novak Djokovic was given a real scare on Centre Court by plucky Brit Jacob Fearnley, eventually winning 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 to reach round three. 

The British wildcard, and world No 277, stunned the home crowd when he took the third set 7-5, rocking seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic.

Fearnley walked off Centre Court with his stock on the rise after a spirited display that few saw coming.

The 22-year-old wildcard was outside the world's top 500 only a month ago before a Challenger title win in Nottingham elevated him up more than 200 places. 

Even with the mighty Djokovic on the other side of the net, Fearnley played without fear and took a high-risk, high-reward approach as the match wore on.

Particularly in the third set, which was sealed after Djokovic miscued a forehand return to lose his serve, Fearnley was rewarded for his daring. 

Fearnley has never competed at a Grand Slam until this week so he has taken a series of huge strides forward in a positive few days. 

For Djokovic, he will be eager to shake off the rustiness as he looks to stitch together an eighth Wimbledon title.

'First and foremost, huge congrats to Jacob Fearnley for an amazing match today. He put in a great effort and played very good tennis,' Djokovic said on court.

'I didn't have a chance to see him play. Actually two days ago, I saw him for the first time. Obviously there's always an element of surprise and nothing to lose, him playing in Wimbledon, always going to be tough.

'Most of the British players grow up being exposed to grass courts, quick surfaces, so they know exactly how to play. [It's a] very windy day, very challenging conditions and I thought he served very well.'

He added: 'It was very difficult to break his serve. He made me work definitely. I was probably a bit lucky in the fourth to not go a break down.

'Maybe I could have won the match in three but I think all in all, this match potentially deserved to get into a fifth the way we both played, the way Fearnley played particularly in the fourth, but I'm very glad it didn't.'

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2024-07-04T16:20:10Z dg43tfdfdgfd