Serbian tennis great Novak Djokovic celebrated his winning start at Wimbledon 2026 with a unique social media message after overcoming China’s Wu Yibing in the opening round on Monday.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion kept alive his pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam singles title, defeating Wu 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to progress to the second round at the All England Club.
Following the victory, Djokovic took to Instagram and shared a light-hearted message inspired by the full moon.
“Full moon in the sky. Wolf energy on the court. Woooooo to round 2.”
The post quickly caught the attention of fans, with many linking it to Djokovic’s trademark fighting spirit and intensity on court.
Djokovic Continues Hunt For Historic 25th Grand Slam
The victory marks another step in Djokovic’s quest to claim his first Grand Slam title since June 2023 and extend his record haul of major championships.
Although Wu managed to level the contest by taking the second set, Djokovic responded strongly to win the next two sets and seal victory in four.
The Serbian showed his trademark resilience, recovering quickly after the brief setback to avoid any early upset at the grass-court major.
Stefanos Tsitsipas Awaits In Second Round
Djokovic’s reward is a blockbuster second-round clash against Stefanos Tsitsipas, one of the most anticipated matches of the early stages of the tournament.
The head-to-head record heavily favours Djokovic, who leads the rivalry 12-2. However, the two players have not faced each other since the Paris Olympics in 2024, adding extra intrigue to their latest meeting.
Tsitsipas will be hoping to end Djokovic’s dominance in the rivalry, while the Serbian will look to continue his march towards another Wimbledon title.
Jannik Sinner Survives Opening-Round Scare
Elsewhere, defending Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner also booked his place in the second round, but not before being pushed to the limit by Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic.
The world No. 1 recovered from losing the opening set to register a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-3 victory after an absorbing contest lasting three hours and 30 minutes.
Sinner entered Wimbledon under pressure following his shock second-round exit at Roland Garros, and his opening-round performance reflected that tension.
The Italian committed 52 unforced errors and faced stiff resistance from Kecmanovic, particularly during a dramatic third-set tie-break.
One of the standout moments came when Kecmanovic produced a spectacular rally at 5-6 in the tie-break, forcing Sinner into a full-length diving shot that brought Centre Court spectators to their feet.
Sinner also suffered an awkward slip during the third set but was able to continue without requiring medical treatment.
Sinner Finds His Rhythm Late
After a shaky start, Sinner gradually reduced his error count and raised his level significantly during the final two sets.
The defending champion took complete control in the closing stages before sealing victory to avoid becoming only the third reigning Wimbledon men’s singles champion to lose in the opening round.
The win also carried historical significance.
Sinner equalled Nicola Pietrangeli’s record of 94 Grand Slam match victories, the highest by an Italian player.
He will now take on Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the second round as he continues the defence of his Wimbledon crown.
With Djokovic and Sinner both safely through, Wimbledon 2026 is already building towards several marquee clashes as the tournament enters its second round.