Wimbledon’s second round begins on Wednesday with Stefanos Tsitsipas taking on Novak Djokovic. 

Tsitsipas and Djokovic have faced each other 14 times, with their last meeting at a Grand Slam coming in the final of the 2023 Australian Open.

That match was billed as a bout between a veteran chasing tennis immortality and a young gun on the cusp of his breakthrough, but things have not worked out quite as either would have hoped since.

Djokovic is now into the third year of his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam ⁠title, while Tsitsipas has plummeted down the rankings after ⁠injuries and poor performances.

The Greek, who removed his father and coach Apostolos from his team right before Wimbledon, said after his 6-1 6-4 6-2 opening victory over Hugo Gaston that he was hoping to recapture some of his old magic.

“Today while I was on ​the court, I was thinking of the ⁠great fights that I have had previously at Wimbledon, playing some years back,” he told reporters.

A victory over Djokovic would be the perfect springboard for a comeback, but history weighs heavily against Tsitsipas, who ⁠has lost his last 11 matches against the ‌Serb. [Reuters]

Source: Ekathimerini.com