Three-time champion Novak Djokovic silenced a raucous Centre Court crowd as he came back to beat home favourite Kyle Edmund 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the third round of Wimbledon on Saturday.
Briton Edmund was riding a wave of euphoria generated by England’s World Cup quarter-final win against Sweden as he outplayed the Serbian former world No.1 in the first set on Saturday.
But 31-year-old Djokovic, who in the 2013 final lost to Andy Murray in a similarly frenzied atmosphere, snapped out of his torpor and took charge once he broke in a pivotal seventh game of the second set.
He dominated the third set and although 21st seed Edmund was competitive again in the fourth, Djokovic broke at 4-4 and then clinically held serve for victory — applying the seal to an impressive display with an ace down the middle.
Djokovic proved he still has the old fire in his belly too when he reacted furiously at 3-3 in the fourth when Edmund scrambled up a low ball for a winner despite replays clearly showing the ball had bounced twice.
While the 12-times Grand Slam champion is still not quite back to his best after a difficult year blighted by an elbow injury, he must now be considered a genuine threat.
“He became more and more dangerous and showed of his old self,” former champion John McEnroe, commentating for the BBC, said.
“The intensity and the desire were there.”
The Serb, seeded 12th, will face powerful Russian youngster Karen Khachanov for a place in the quarter-finals.
“It was tough, Edmund is playing really well, he won our last encounter on clay,” Djokovic said of the man who has replaced the injured Murray as Britain’s top dog, said.
“He has just improved a lot in his game, especially the backhand side. The forehand we know is a big weapon, and he is serving better. Losing the first set was not an ideal situation for me but somehow (I) managed to come back.”
Edmund’s defeat means there will be no Brits in the second week of the singles competition at Wimbledon.