Novak Djokovic has praised James Ward following his 6-0 7-6 6-4 win over the Briton at Wimbledon.
The defending champion admitted that he struggled to break his opponent's serve but expressed satisfaction with his own performance during the first-round contest.
"James was serving with a lot of precision and it was not easy to break his serve," BBC Sport quotes the Serbian as saying.
"I felt great and nerves kicked in for James. He started playing better in the second set and it got close - it was solid performance from me though.
"This is probably the most unique experience in tennis, playing as the defending champion, on untouched grass. It is really special to feel this tradition."
Djokovic, who has three Wimbledon titles to his name, will take on Adrian Mannarino in round two.
Written by
Mark Langshaw
Mark Langshaw
