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

Novak Djokovic mixed mischief with mastery as he booked his place in the third round of Wimbledon 2026, leaving Centre Court smiling with a light-hearted prank on a ball girl before delivering another clinical victory.The seven-time Wimbledon champion created one of the lighter moments of the Championships during a changeover against Stefanos Tsitsipas. With the Greek off court for a comfort break, Djokovic asked a ball girl to help remove the tag from the back of his shirt. Moments later, the Serbian jokingly pretended she had accidentally cut him, clutching his neck and briefly leaving the youngster horrified before revealing it was all in jest.Wimbledon 2026 Day 3 UpdatesThe incident quickly went viral on social media, with fans praising Djokovic's playful personality. Speaking after the match, the 24-time Grand Slam champion admitted the joke probably came because he was comfortably ahead."I guess these kind of things surface when you're two sets to love up rather than two sets to love down," Djokovic said with a smile."Stefanos went to change so I had some spare time. I'm sorry. I don't know if she's around. Sorry if I scared her. It probably wasn't that great of a joke, I guess."Djokovic, however, insisted there were no hard feelings, adding that the ball girl enjoyed the exchange as well."It made me a bit more relaxed. She was laughing. It was a good moment for her as well," the Serbian said.DJOKOVIC CRUISES PAST TSITSIPASDjokovic then ensured the entertainment continued with his racket, brushing aside Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in a dominant second-round performance that lasted under two hours. Chasing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon crown and a historic 25th Grand Slam singles title, the Serbian barely put a foot wrong as he extended his remarkable winning streak over Tsitsipas to 12 matches.After edging past Wu Yibing in four sets in the opening round, Djokovic looked significantly sharper against the Greek, dominating behind his serve and repeatedly exposing Tsitsipas' one-handed backhand with his trademark depth and accuracy.The 39-year-old won an astonishing 82 per cent of points behind his first serve and converted his chances at crucial moments to snuff out any hopes of a comeback.The victory keeps Djokovic firmly on course for another deep run at the All England Club. Seeded seventh this year, he is projected to meet defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals if both continue their winning runs.Djokovic will next take on France's Arthur Rinderknech in the third round as he continues his quest to add another Wimbledon trophy to his glittering collection.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Jul 2, 2026 02:39 IST