• Novak Djokovic victory in his second round match against Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia on day three of Wimbledon 2022 at All England Club on June 29, 2022. Getty
    Novak Djokovic victory in his second round match against Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia on day three of Wimbledon 2022 at All England Club on June 29, 2022. Getty
  • Novak Djokovic celebrates reaching the third round. Getty
    Novak Djokovic celebrates reaching the third round. Getty
  • Djokovic celebrates after winning. EPA
    Djokovic celebrates after winning. EPA
  • Djokovic wipes his face as he competes against Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis. AFP
    Djokovic wipes his face as he competes against Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis. AFP
  • Thanasi Kokkinakis in action against Novak Djokovic. EPA
    Thanasi Kokkinakis in action against Novak Djokovic. EPA
  • Djokovic sits during a break. AP
    Djokovic sits during a break. AP
  • Novak Djokovic of Serbia during a break. EPA
    Novak Djokovic of Serbia during a break. EPA
  • Britain's Cameron Norrie celebrates defeating Spain's Jaume Munar. AP
    Britain's Cameron Norrie celebrates defeating Spain's Jaume Munar. AP
  • France's Ugo Humbert on his way to victory against Norway's Casper Ruud. AFP
    France's Ugo Humbert on his way to victory against Norway's Casper Ruud. AFP
  • Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis returns the ball to Novak Djokovic. AFP
    Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis returns the ball to Novak Djokovic. AFP
  • Casper Ruud made the French Open final but grass is not his favourite surface. EPA
    Casper Ruud made the French Open final but grass is not his favourite surface. EPA

Novak Djokovic 'happy with performance' as Andy Murray exits Wimbledon to John Isner


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Defending champion Novak Djokovic declared himself "happy with my performance" after cruising into the third round at Wimbledon as career-long rival Andy Murray suffered his earliest-ever exit from the All England Club.

Top seed Djokovic brushed aside Australia's Kokkinakis 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 and will next face Serbian compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic.

"I'm very happy with my performance. I started very well, solid from the back of the court," said Djokovic, who is looking to join Pete Sampras as a seven-time Wimbledon champion.

"I made him work for every point and worked him around the court," added the 20-time major winner.

Murray, now 52 in the rankings, failed to break serve once against 2018 semi-finalist Isner, who unleashed 36 aces and 82 winners in total.

"He didn't give me lots of chances," said Murray, whose previous earliest exits came in the third round in 2005 and 2021.

"My game was in a good place. I felt good on the court, just couldn't get the win."

Isner, 37, was gracious in the aftermath of his first win in nine meetings against the Briton.

"I am most definitely not a better tennis player than Andy Murray. I might have been a little bit better than him today," said the American.

Isner also took his career aces total to 13,724 to sit just four behind the record held by Ivo Karlovic.

  • John Isner of the United States, right, consoles Andy Murray of Great Britain after winning their second-round match at Wimbledon 2022. Getty Images
    John Isner of the United States, right, consoles Andy Murray of Great Britain after winning their second-round match at Wimbledon 2022. Getty Images
  • Andy Murray serves against John Isner. PA
    Andy Murray serves against John Isner. PA
  • USA's John Isner celebrates victory against Great Britain's Andy Murray on Centre Court. PA
    USA's John Isner celebrates victory against Great Britain's Andy Murray on Centre Court. PA
  • Great Britain's Andy Murray in action against USA's John Isner. PA
    Great Britain's Andy Murray in action against USA's John Isner. PA
  • USA's John Isner in action against Great Britain's Andy Murray. PA
    USA's John Isner in action against Great Britain's Andy Murray. PA
  • Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts after losing against John Isner of United States at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 29, 2022 in London, England. Getty Images
    Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts after losing against John Isner of United States at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 29, 2022 in London, England. Getty Images
  • Andy Murray in action against John Isner. PAe: Wednesday June 29, 2022.
    Andy Murray in action against John Isner. PAe: Wednesday June 29, 2022.
  • John Isner of the US gets up after falling. EPA
    John Isner of the US gets up after falling. EPA
  • Great Britain's Andy Murray applauds the fans after defeat in the second round match against USA's John Isner on centre court. PA
    Great Britain's Andy Murray applauds the fans after defeat in the second round match against USA's John Isner on centre court. PA

Third seed and French Open runner-up Casper Ruud, who was scheduled to face Djokovic in the semi-finals, was knocked out by 112th-ranked Ugo Humbert, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.

But Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz stayed on course to meet the six-time champion in the last eight by reaching the third round for the first time.

The flamboyant Spanish shot-maker goes on to face Germany's Oscar Otte for a place in the last 16.

Otte needed just 15 minutes to reach the third round when American opponent Christian Harrison retired injured at 3-1 down in their second-round tie.

Alcaraz's compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina suffered a controversial exit at the hands of Jiri Vesely.

At match point down in the final set tie-break, Davidovich Fokina hit a ball out of the court, was penalised a point and lost the tie.

"I don't agree with it. That's crazy ... what a lousy way to end it," US tennis great John McEnroe told ESPN.

  • Caroline Garcia celebrates after beating Emma Raducanu 6-3, 6-3 in their second-round match at Wimbledon on Wednesday, June 29, 2022. AFP
    Caroline Garcia celebrates after beating Emma Raducanu 6-3, 6-3 in their second-round match at Wimbledon on Wednesday, June 29, 2022. AFP
  • Emma Raducanu during her defeat against Caroline Garcia. Getty
    Emma Raducanu during her defeat against Caroline Garcia. Getty
  • Caroline Garcia celebrates her win over Emma Raducanu at the All England Club. AP
    Caroline Garcia celebrates her win over Emma Raducanu at the All England Club. AP
  • Emma Raducanu during her defeat on Centre Court. EPA
    Emma Raducanu during her defeat on Centre Court. EPA
  • Britain's Emma Raducanu at full stretch against Caroline Garcia of France. AFP
    Britain's Emma Raducanu at full stretch against Caroline Garcia of France. AFP
  • Emma Raducanu celebrates a point against Caroline Garcia. EPA
    Emma Raducanu celebrates a point against Caroline Garcia. EPA
  • A general view of Centre Court during the match. Reuters
    A general view of Centre Court during the match. Reuters
  • Caroline Garcia celebrates during the match against Emma Raducanu. AFP
    Caroline Garcia celebrates during the match against Emma Raducanu. AFP
  • Emma Raducanu serves against Caroline Garcia at Wimbledon. PA
    Emma Raducanu serves against Caroline Garcia at Wimbledon. PA
  • Caroline Garcia plays a forehand against Emma Raducanu. Getty
    Caroline Garcia plays a forehand against Emma Raducanu. Getty
  • Emma Raducanu in action against Caroline Garcia. PA
    Emma Raducanu in action against Caroline Garcia. PA
  • Jule Niemeier of Germany celebrates after beating Estonia's Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 6-0 in the second round of Wimbledon. AFP
    Jule Niemeier of Germany celebrates after beating Estonia's Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 6-0 in the second round of Wimbledon. AFP
  • Second seed Anett Kontaveit during her defeat to Jule Niemeier. EPA
    Second seed Anett Kontaveit during her defeat to Jule Niemeier. EPA
  • Jule Niemeier during her win over Anett Kontaveit. AFP
    Jule Niemeier during her win over Anett Kontaveit. AFP
  • Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova during her 7-6, 7-5 win over countrywoman Tereza Martincova Tereza Martincova in their first-round match. AFP
    Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova during her 7-6, 7-5 win over countrywoman Tereza Martincova Tereza Martincova in their first-round match. AFP
  • Jessica Pegula of the United States during her 6-3, 7-6 first-round win against Croatia's Donna Vekic. Reuters
    Jessica Pegula of the United States during her 6-3, 7-6 first-round win against Croatia's Donna Vekic. Reuters
  • Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko during her 6-2, 6-2 win over Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium. AFP
    Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko during her 6-2, 6-2 win over Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium. AFP

In the women's side, second seed Anett Kontaveit, ninth seed and former champion Garbine Muguruza as well as 10th-seeded US Open winner Emma Raducanu all exited.

Kontaveit lost 6-4, 6-0 to Germany's Julie Niemeier as the Estonian endured another Grand Slam to forget.

Kontaveit has made the quarter-finals of a major just once in 29 attempts.

Muguruza, the 2017 champion, lost her delayed first-round clash 6-4, 6-0 to Belgium's Greet Minnen.

Raducanu, bidding to become Britain's first female champion at the All England Club in 45 years, was beaten 6-3, 6-3 by France's 55th-ranked Caroline Garcia.

"I really enjoyed playing on Centre Court, it was my first time and very special," said Garcia, who fired 25 winners past the British teenager.

There were no such dramas for third seed Ons Jabeur or fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari, who went through to the last 32 in straight sets.

Lesia Tsurenko, right, of Ukraine celebrates beating compatriot Anhelina Kalinina. PA
Lesia Tsurenko, right, of Ukraine celebrates beating compatriot Anhelina Kalinina. PA

Lesia Tsurenko came out on top in three sets over Ukrainian compatriot Anhelina Kalinina to make the third round for the second time.

Tsurenko, ranked at 101, proudly wore a ribbon in the colours of Ukraine on her shirt.

"It was a big court. Two Ukrainian players but a lot of people were watching us. We felt amazing support," said Tsurenko after her 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win.

"Today on the way from hotel to the club, we got a driver," she added. "She has taken two people from Ukraine into her house.

"I think it's amazing when people help Ukrainians so much."

Updated: June 30, 2022, 3:57 AM