Novak Djokovic overcame a mid-match health scare to begin his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title with a hard-fought four-set win over France’s Alexandre Muller in the Wimbledon first round.
The 38-year-old Serb looked sharp early, dropping just two points on serve in a dominant 6-1 opening set. But things took a dramatic turn in the second, as Djokovic failed to convert 11 break points and lost a tense tie-break 7-9.
Early in the third, his movement slowed and body language dipped. He later revealed he was battling a stomach issue.
I went from feeling my absolute best to my absolute worst in about 45 minutes,” Djokovic said. Whether it was a stomach bug, I don’t know but the energy came back, and I managed to finish on a good note.
A medical timeout and tablet seemed to turn the tide. Djokovic won five straight games to take the third set and never looked back, eventually sealing a 6-1, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-2 win just before Wimbledon’s 11 p.m. curfew.
Muller, who required treatment on his calf, offered stubborn resistance and even earned his first break points of the match early in the fourth set but Djokovic’s serving remained clutch. He held firm and closed out the contest to love.
