It really was uplifting to hear Novak Djokovic’s big beaming cry of ‘C’mon, yeah!’ as he enjoyed exhorting the Centre Court crowd to support him more fervently than ever before in what he feels may be his best, and perhaps last, chance to win an eighth Wimbledon title.

The roar of appreciation may have felt the warmest he’d ever received. For about an hour earlier, battling a stomach ailment and feeling dreadful in his arm-wrestle with Alexandre Muller, there was that fleeting sensation this might just be the last time we see him here.

Then Djokovic located a courtside telephone box, visible only to him, and reemerged as Superman. Crisis over, drama dispensed with, inevitability restored. Has any sportsman, ever, in any discipline, seemed quite so indestructible?

Yet while you could sense the goodwill growing for a 38-year-old who won’t go gently into that good tennis night, seeking the elusive, record-breaking 25th Grand Slam, there’ll doubtless be even more sentimental support for Britain’s Dan Evans today in their compelling second round duel.

Evans, at 35, is raging against the dying of the light too, feeling a bit emotional but buoyed by his recent revival in his career twilight, backing his delightful, variety-clad, made-for-grass game to give him the landmark triumph his career merits.

And after Evans’ win on the Monte Carlo clay four years ago, how many players can boast an unbeaten winning record against the great man? “I still believe I have a shot,” he says of his dream of reaching a first Grand Slam quarter-final.

Djokovic is a fan of Dan the man. “He uses his slice quite a lot and that favours grass courts because the ball stays low. He can serve and volley, chips the ball, comes in, mixes up the pace,” he says of Evans. “A really tricky opponent you don’t want in your draw in the early rounds.”

You don’t want to land Marin Cilic, another resilient warhorse, early either. Now 36 and, after multiple knee surgeries, the Croatian – who lost the 2017 final here against Roger Federer – became the lowest-ranked player at world No.777 to lift an ATP Tour title last year and has now just won in Nottingham.

Jack Draper understands the threat. “Unbelievable career. Amazing player,” the great British hope nods, reflecting on how good Cilic had to be to win the US Open in 2014 in the midst of the Nadal/Djokovic/Federer era.

Draper’s 22-year-old British car-sharing buddy Jack Pinnington Jones, who only left Texas Christian University in May after ditching his last year of studies to turn pro, also faces his latest ‘biggest match of my life’ on Court 18 against No.22 seed Flavio Cobolli, part of the Italian game’s growing force.

The Italians’ comandante, of course, is Jannik Sinner, whose Australian coach Darren Cahill has doubtless schooled the former skiing champ-turned-world No.1 about how to slalom past his latest big-serving Sydney opponent Aleksandar Vukic on Centre Court.

The ladies’ draw has been blown wide open by the early exits of Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Qinwen Zheng and Jasmine Paolini.

How much must that have perked up luminaries such as former champion Elena Rybakina, who faces two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Maria Sakkari on No.1 Court, and Iga Swiatek, who tackles American Caty McNally on Centre.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, fresh from reaching the final in Bad Homburg and hoping to get past the last-eight here for the first time, sounds as if she’s feeling more comfortable on the grass.

That’s more than can be said for the Polish star’s experience of trying to catch some sleep in her digs without air conditioning. No-one could sound happier about the waning of the heatwave.

Mirra Andreeva has come a long way since she first appeared here a couple of years ago, too shy even to approach the “beautiful” Andy Murray but still bold enough to reach the last-16 at 16.

“Imagine how good she’s going to be when she gets her eyes fixed,” was Murray’s typically laconic response to the teenager’s praise.

Well, the eyesight’s not declined and she’s once again not only the youngest woman left in the draw but this time as a battle-hardened No.7 seed, all while taking an appearance on No.1 Court against Italian Lucia Bronzetti in her increasingly mature stride.

“That first year here, I was feeling great. I didn’t feel nervous at all – and now it’s a bit different,” she says, noting the new demands of self-expectation at a venerable 18.

But about Andy, nothing’s changed; apparently, Mirra still has a framed photo of a tweet of praise from him on her bedside desk. Aah, bless…