Wimbledon 2021: 3 talking points from Novak Djokovic's win over Jack Draper as Serb kicks off title defense

Modified Jun 28, 2021 16:20 GMT

Novak Djokovic got his Wimbledon title defense off to a solid start with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win over 19-year-old wildcard Jack Draper.

The Serb struggled for rhythm in the first set, but raised his level substantially over the next three to seal his 15th consecutive win at SW19.

Start as you mean to go on…@DjokerNole’s pursuit of a third consecutive Wimbledon title is off to a winning start, beating Jack Draper 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/soTVGWBze4
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2021

Expand Tweet

The two-time defending champion is the overwhelming favorite for the title, which would move him level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's record of 20 Grand Slams.

On that note, here's a look at three key takeaways from Djokovic's four-set win:

#1 The transition from clay to grass caused early problems for Novak Djokovic

The Serb looked a shadow of his usual self during the first set. Djokovic struggled to get into rhythm from the baseline, and he made uncharacteristic errors in crunch moments. He also lost his footing quite often on the slick grass at Center Court.

The 34-year-old converted none of his seven break point opportunities in the first set, and won a grand total of 12 return points. The Serb also struggled to judge the weight and depth of Draper's forehand, a problem he was able to address as the match progressed.

#2 Big-serving Draper can be a threat on grass in the future

Not many had heard of Jack Draper prior to the grass season. The World No. 250 announced his arrival with an impressive run at Queen's, defeating Jannik Sinner and Alexander Bublik en route to the quarterfinals.

Draper carried that momentum into Wimbledon for the biggest match of his fledgling career. Against arguably the greatest returner of all time, Draper smashed down three aces and won 85% of his first serves in the first set, using the vocal crowd to his advantage.

He was unable to maintain the same standards in the next three sets, but the fact that he saved nine break points against a returner of Djokovic's caliber bodes well for the young Brit.

While Draper's lateral movement is an issue, his powerful groundstrokes mean he could be one to watch out for on grass in the future.

#3 Novak Djokovic can always rely on his serve

Novak Djokovic is widely regarded as the most complete player on tour at the moment. The most underrated aspect of his game is probably his serve.

The Serb smashed down 20 aces in the final three sets on Monday. He did not lose a single point on serve in the third and just eight in total across the second, third and fourth sets.