Summary

  1. Postpublished at 18:59 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 6-6 (2-4) Djokovic*

    We all marvelled over Lorenzo Musetti's passing backhand winner earlier in this set but he's just found a forehand down the line that might have surpassed it - he's on the board in the tie-break.

    Musetti digs in to remain competitive with a hold of serve.

  2. 'Exceptional tennis'published at 18:57 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 6-6 (0-3) Djokovic*

    Greg Rusedski
    Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

    Musetti reactsImage source, Getty Images

    The quality of the tennis in this set has been exceptional.

    Great to see it taken to a tie-break.

    I think Novak Djokovic will win it.

  3. Postpublished at 18:56 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 6-6 (0-3) Djokovic*

    Novak Djokovic starts as he means to go on with a hold of serve.

    Is Lorenzo Musetti starting to feel the pressure?

    Djokovic gets a double break with the second coming as Musetti hits a lob long when Djokovic steps up to the net.

  4. 'The best is yet to come!'published at 18:54 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 6-6 Djokovic*

    John McEnroe
    Three-time Wimbledon singles champion on BBC TV

    Tremendous set of tennis and the best is yet to come!

  5. 'Tight moments'published at 18:54 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 6-6 Djokovic*

    Nick Kyrgios
    Australian tennis player on BBC TV

    Sublime tennis from both players.

    There is nothing fancy from Novak he just steps in and crushes it. These are tight moments.

  6. Musetti forces tie-breakpublished at 18:54 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 6-6 Djokovic*

    Novak Djokovic reactsImage source, PA Media

    Lorenzo Musetti is the one who has Novak Djokovic doing widths of the court this time and the Italian just about squeezes in an overhead volley to lead 30-15. Djokovic considers a challenge but decides against it.

    The Serb turns the game on its head to lead 40-30 with a shot at set point but he hits long and we're at deuce.

    Now Musetti has the game in sight with advantage and he holds when Djokovic returns the serve long.

    We are heading into a tie-break.

  7. Game and first set - Hewett & Reidpublished at 18:52 British Summer Time 12 July

    Hewett/Reid 6-1 0-0 *Egberink/Scheffers

    More impressive tennis from the British pair.

    Alfie Hewett hits two impressive forehands out of reach of Tom Egberink and another thumping forehand down the line seals set point.

    Just over half an hour played and the defending champions are in a commanding position.

  8. Serving clinicpublished at 18:48 British Summer Time 12 July

    *Musetti 4-6 5-6 Djokovic

    Michael Emons
    BBC Sport at Wimbledon

    Pressure? What pressure? At 15-30 down in a game where Lorenzo Musetti would then be serving for the set if he got a break, Djokovic then provides a serving clinic.

    An ace of 120 mph comes first, followed by an ace of 124mph, then a third successive ace, this time at 122mph.

    Djokovic escapes with the knowledge he has at least a tie-break in this set, maybe more.

  9. Watch: Djokovic applauds Musetti's 'ridiculous' shotpublished at 18:47 British Summer Time 12 July

    *Musetti 4-6 5-6 Djokovic

    Media caption,

    Novak Djokovic applauds Lorenzo Musetti's 'ridiculous' shot

  10. 'Clutch'published at 18:47 British Summer Time 12 July

    *Musetti 4-6 5-6 Djokovic

    Nick Kyrgios
    Australian tennis player on BBC TV

    Two clutch serves from love-30 for Novak.

    He seems to snatch the opportunity back, it is incredible.

    All you've got to do is laugh.

  11. Djokovic holdspublished at 18:47 British Summer Time 12 July

    *Musetti 4-6 5-6 Djokovic

    That frustration Michael mentions is carried through into Novak Djokovic's service game as he hits a simple volley into the net and then fires long to trail 30-0.

    Djokovic finds a way to channel that frustration, though, with four successive aces to level.

    Just when you think the Serb is crumbling... he pulls that out the bag.

    Simply magnificent.

  12. Postpublished at 18:43 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 5-5 Djokovic*

    Michael Emons
    BBC Sport at Wimbledon

    A first sign of frustration creeping in for Djokovic with a shrug of the shoulders and then a shake of the head after losing successive shots.

    Novak Djokovic of Serbia reactsImage source, Getty Images
  13. Musetti holdspublished at 18:42 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 5-5 Djokovic*

    Lorenzo Musetti needs to set the tone early in the service game and a delivery into the body of Novak Djokovic earns the Italian a 15-0 lead.

    Ah, after missing his first serve, Musetti is punished by a Djokovic forehand down the line.

    Back comes Musetti, though, and a forehand flick down the line puts him 40-15 up before Djokovic fires into the net.

  14. Not over until it's overpublished at 18:41 British Summer Time 12 July

    *Musetti 4-6 4-5 Djokovic

    Michael Emons
    BBC Sport at Wimbledon

    It's not just the Musetti fans that are thinking the points are over before they actually are. A Djokovic smash is met by a loud cry of 'yes' from one fan, only for Musetti to get there, although he can only send it over Djokovic's head and long.

  15. Djokovic holdspublished at 18:39 British Summer Time 12 July

    *Musetti 4-6 4-5 Djokovic

    Novak Djokovic returnsImage source, Getty Images

    A pretty routine hold to 15 for Novak Djokovic is sealed when Lorenzo Musetti's attempt to return a volley is far too long.

    The pressure is back on Musetti, who will serve to stay in the set.

  16. Postpublished at 18:36 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 4-4 Djokovic*

    Greg Rusedski
    Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

    Lorenzo Musetti's first serves are at 85% which is insanely good and he has still been broken today.

    You can't serve much better than that.

  17. 'I would think Musetti's strongest on grass'published at 18:36 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 4-4 Djokovic*

    John McEnroe
    Three-time Wimbledon singles champion on BBC TV

    Lorenzo Musetti uses a towelImage source, Getty Images

    If I had never seen Musetti before, looking at his game, I would think his strongest surface is grass.

    More comfortable than on clay, as a matter of fact, which is where I’ve seen him have his best results before this past month.

  18. Musetti holdspublished at 18:35 British Summer Time 12 July

    Musetti 4-6 4-4 Djokovic*

    Lorenzo Musetti finds just his second ace of the match for a 30-15 lead.

    A drop shot leaves Novak Djokovic in a spot of bother and the Serb hits into the net.

  19. 'You can see how hungry Djokovic is'published at 18:34 British Summer Time 12 July

    *Musetti 4-6 3-4 Djokovic

    Nick Kyrgios
    Australian tennis player on BBC TV

    This is just Musetti's game style. He grew up on the clay and the most of his success is on the clay. You can tell he's so comfortable sitting back.

    You can see how hungry Djokovic is to keep these points on his terms, he is nearly a metre inside the baseline.

    Baseline graphic
  20. Get him runningpublished at 18:33 British Summer Time 12 July

    *Musetti 4-6 3-4 Djokovic

    Michael Emons
    BBC Sport at Wimbledon

    That's how you get it back on serve, get to 0-40 and then punch away an absolutely beautiful service return winner.

    There is a 15-year age difference between 37-year-old Novak Djokovic and 22-year-old Lorenzo Musetti, so how do you wipe out any athletic advantages the youngster may hold? By getting him running, and that's what Djokovic is doing.

    He's sent Musetti left, he's sent him right, he's sent him left again, he sent him to the net to deal with a drop shot.

    Obviously, as he has repeatedly proved over the last two decades, Djokovic is a supreme athlete, but one who had knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus only in early June.