“That has strengthened my character. Part of it also has to do with my upbringing, I spent a lot of time in the mountains with wolves, this is my wolf energy.”

The pair had met three times before, including at Wimbledon back in 2019, although the Serb has come out on top on each occasion. 

Many felt that the draw was harsh on Kudla and that there was more to come from him in the tournament, given that grass is his preferred surface.

Djokovic maintained his pristine record against Grand Slam qualifiers, making it 21 wins out of 21 by beating the 28-year-old.