Novak Djokovic battled through a demanding Centre Court opener at Wimbledon 2026, coming through a four-set test against Wu as the roof came into play and the match tightened into a late-night finish. Elsewhere on day one, Jannik Sinner was taken to five sets before advancing, while Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva all moved on and Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev went out.
Djokovic’s win mattered not only because it kept one of the tournament’s biggest names in the draw, but because the match repeatedly turned on a handful of points, with Wu pushing him deep into pressure moments and forcing the veteran to manage swings in momentum across four sets.
Djokovic vs Wu: roof change, set swings and late pressure
The contest “didn’t feel like the first round” and, as described in the live coverage, it felt like two different matches: one with the roof off and one with it on, with the surface becoming “more slippery underfoot.” Djokovic was tested by an opponent he had not faced before, and Wu’s ability to hit “hard and flat from the back” kept the rallies and the scoreboard tight.
After Djokovic took the opening set 6-4, Wu levelled the match by taking the second set 7-5. The turning point came with Djokovic serving to stay in the set, as Wu forced deuce and created set point. Djokovic briefly looked as if he might escape, producing a big serve “down the T” to reach game point, but a forehand that “drops long” brought the danger back. In a tense sequence, Wu stayed with him through multiple deuces, and when Djokovic “flaps a backhand long,” Wu sealed the set to make it 6-4, 7-5.
Djokovic responded in the third set with a crucial break for 5-4 after Wu erred on the forehand twice at a key moment. The live report noted Djokovic’s familiar interaction with the crowd as he “cups an ear,” before serving out the set to move ahead two sets to one, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
The fourth set became a physical grind, with Djokovic described as looking “pretty tired,” yet still finding ways through repeated danger on serve. At one stage he was “inches from a double to donate 0-40,” only to recover from a run of careless points and survive a sequence of break points. Wu had three chances in one game, but Djokovic erased them with an ace and a heavy second serve that surprised Wu, who reacted in frustration after a netted return on a 121mph delivery.
With the set moving into its decisive phase, Djokovic earned another break point and eventually converted it when Wu missed an overhead attempt, allowing Djokovic to break for 5-4 in the fourth. From there, he served out the match to complete a four-set win, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
In his on-court remarks, Djokovic credited the fine margins on grass and the importance of experience, noting that matches on this surface can be decided by “a few points and shots.” He also referenced the challenge of adjusting as conditions changed, and acknowledged that Wu had surprised him with the level he produced across the match.
Djokovic’s reward is a second-round meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas, setting up an early marquee match-up as the men’s draw begins to take shape.
Other results mentioned from day one
Beyond Centre Court, the live coverage highlighted a strong opening day for several leading names. Sinner was pushed all the way to five sets but ultimately advanced. Sabalenka and Gauff also moved on, as did Andreeva, who beat Magda Linette and will face Barbora Krejcikova next.
There were also notable early exits, with Ruud and Rublev losing on the opening day.
What day one set up for Wimbledon 2026
With Djokovic through after a match defined by tight scorelines and repeated break-point escapes, and Sinner already tested over five sets, the opening day underlined how quickly the tournament can demand full intensity. As the first round continues, the draw already has a headline second-round clash locked in, while several top names have safely negotiated their first hurdle and others have been knocked out early.
