Novak Djokovic pranks ball girl, then outclasses Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach 3rd round

Novak Djokovic mixed mischief with mastery as he booked his place in the third round of Wimbledon 2026 as he smiled lightly at a ball girl on center court before scoring another clinical victory.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion produced one of the lighter moments of the championship during a substitution against Stefanos Tsitsipas. With the Greek off the court for a comfortable break, Djokovic asked the ball girl to help him remove the tag from the back of his shirt. Moments later, the Serbian woman jokingly pretended to accidentally cut him, grabbed his neck and briefly left the youngster scared before revealing that it was all a joke.

Wimbledon 2026 Day 3 Update

The incident quickly went viral on social media, with fans praising Djokovic’s playful personality. The 24-time Grand Slam champion admitted after the match that the joke probably came because he was comfortably ahead.

“I think those things come to the surface when you love two sets up more than two sets down,” Djokovic said with a smile.

“Stefanos went to change so I had some free time. I’m sorry. I don’t know if he’s around. I’m sorry if I scared her. I guess it wasn’t such a great joke.”

But Djokovic insisted there were no hard feelings, adding that the ball girl also enjoyed the exchange.

“It relaxed me a bit. She was laughing. It was a good moment for her too,” said the Serb.

DJOKOVIC SAILED FOR TSITSIPAS

Djokovic then ensured the fun continued with his racket, beating Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in a dominant second-round performance that lasted less than two hours. Chasing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon crown and a historic 25th Grand Slam singles title, the Serb barely put a foot wrong as he extended his remarkable winning streak over Tsitsipas to 12 matches.

After overcoming Wu Yibing in four sets in the opening round, Djokovic looked significantly sharper against the Greek, dominating his serve and repeatedly exposing Tsitsipas’ one-handed backhand with his trademark depth and accuracy.

The 39-year-old won an amazing 82 percent of his first serve points and converted his chances at crucial moments to snuff out any hopes of a comeback.

A win will keep Djokovic firmly on course for another deep run at the All England Club. Seeded seventh this year, he is tipped to meet defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals if both continue their winning streaks.

Djokovic will face France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the third round as he continues his quest to add another Wimbledon trophy to his glittering collection.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

Jul 02, 2026 02:39 IST