Roger Federer watched in disbelief from the Royal Box as Novak Djokovic endured a nightmare start against Alex de Minaur on Centre Court.
The retired eight-time Wimbledon champion occupied a front-row seat to witness his old rival's uncharacteristic struggles.
John McEnroe captured the moment perfectly on BBC commentary, noting how Federer removed his sunglasses in apparent shock.
"Roger Federer took the shades off because he's like, 'Wait a minute, I can't believe this. Where was this when I played him?'" the American quipped.
Roger Federer was in attendance at Wimbledon as Novak Djokovic initially struggled
BBC/Reuters
The Swiss maestro, who lost three Wimbledon finals to Djokovic in 2014, 2015 and 2019, watched as the Serbian sixth seed suffered through an error-strewn opening set.
McEnroe's commentary struck a chord as he highlighted the irony of Federer witnessing such a poor display from the man who had denied him glory on multiple occasions at SW19.
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The American commentator observed: "This is incredible to see him play like this.
"Let's hang on here a second, that's why it's best of five."
His jest about Federer's reaction referenced their painful history, particularly the 2019 final where Federer squandered two championship points.
The Swiss legend's visible astonishment from the Royal Box spoke volumes about how rarely he had seen Djokovic perform so poorly on tennis's most prestigious stage.
The Australian eleventh seed capitalised on Djokovic's struggles, racing through the first set 6-1 in just thirty minutes.
The Serbian world number six was broken in the opening game, struggling to land first serves whilst battling windy conditions on Centre Court.
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Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur put on a show at Wimbledon
Reuters
Djokovic's performance was littered with errors, committing 16 unforced mistakes in the opening set alone.
It marked a stark contrast to his previous form at the Championships, where he had dropped just 12 games across his second and third-round matches.
The 38-year-old seven-time Wimbledon champion appeared well below his usual standards, with De Minaur dominating the exchanges throughout the one-sided opener.
Djokovic attempted to restore order by breaking De Minaur at the start of the second set, but the Australian immediately broke back during a gruelling 19-minute game featuring nine deuces.
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Roger Federer on Centre Court. It just feels right 💚💜#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/dDrrnYkj8n
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
During this marathon exchange, Federer was spotted leaning over to speak with his wife Mirka in the Royal Box.
The Serbian eventually found his rhythm, breaking again after winning a 34-shot rally - the longest point of the tournament - whilst gesturing to the Centre Court crowd for support.
Despite saving multiple break points and trading further breaks with De Minaur, Djokovic managed to secure the second set 6-4 after an hour of play.
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