Life comes at you fast when Novak Djokovic is on the other side of the net.
One moment you’re watching the five-time Wimbledon champion repeatedly losing his footing on the lush Centre Court; and the next the Serb ransacks 11 consecutive points to romp away with the opening chapter. Halfway through the next set and Djokovic lobs you – all 6ft 8in of you – to seal the crucial break.
Trying to stonewall the relentless pressure in the third, you make repeated errors on your own serve and can’t prevent the steamroller breaking through.
And that’s it. Match over.
it’s never easy to play an opponent that has a lot of quality in his shots
Kevin Anderson has known great battles against Djokovic on Centre Court, but after two lots of right knee surgery in as many years, those days were a distant memory in this second round encounter.
The No.1 seed, winner of the last two Championships here, simply swatted Anderson aside 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in 100 minutes. It was ominous, majestic stuff.
“I’m very pleased,” said Djokovic. “Kevin is a terrific player, very dangerous on fast grass courts. I held my serve comfortably, but it’s never easy to play an opponent that has a lot of quality in his shots, particularly in his serve, with a lot of experience playing on a big stage.
“Making as few unforced errors as possible was one of the tactical goals today. I knew Kevin was going to serve big, I wouldn’t have too many chances to break. So I might as well try to play solid but not too risky, and I did much better than I thought I would. I mean, I believe in myself but it was almost flawless.”
Then he grinned ruefully: “Also I seem to be having a really nice connection with the grass. I don’t recall falling this much in the first two matches at Wimbledon. But the connection with the crowd and the grass is very nice.”
Last time these players met in this neighbourhood was the 2018 final. Anderson gave it everything but the well was dry after his six-and-a-half hour semi-final to beat John Isner. Three years earlier they fought a truly epic joust, that time in the last 16, when Djokovic roared back from two sets down to edge the decider.
Making as few unforced errors as possible was one of the tactical goals today.
Not for one moment did this second round match promise anything in that league. But then, what can you do against a man who makes a meagre two unforced errors in the first set, three in the third, and just one in the second?
The South African’s great weapon is, of course, his serve. He delivered 41 aces in his first round victory over qualifier Marcelo Barrios Vera, but the greatest returner in the game poured cold water all over that gunpowder, reducing the count by three-quarters to 11.
It was formidable stuff from Djokovic, laying down a clear marker to anyone deceived by the set he lost to young wild card Jack Draper on Monday. So much is on the line for Djokovic this Fortnight – the third leg of a calendar Grand Slam, the possibility of his sixth Wimbledon crown and, famously, a 20th Grand Slam to equal Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
There is even something at stake should he fall short – he will no longer hold the world No.1 spot if Daniil Medvedev either lifts the gentlemen’s trophy, or reaches the final when Djokovic does not.
On the other hand, playing as the Serb did in this match, such possibilities appear positively eccentric. Even the way he tumbled to the turf was skilful, carefully angling his body in mid-fall to avoid hyper-extension of any joints.
What it lacked in elegance, it made up for in self-preservation. Others may fall. But history is beckoning Djokovic, and he is marching towards it.