Novak Djokovic, three-time defending champion, lost a set, but qualified for the second round of Wimbledon on Monday by eliminating South Korean Soon-woo Kwon (81st in the world) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 , 6-4 in 2h27.

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The 35-year-old Serb thus won his 80th match in the Major on grass, becoming the first player, men and women alike, to reach this mark in the four Grand Slam tournaments.

In the next round, the world number 3 will face the Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis (79th) or the Pole Kamil Majchrzak (91st).

Its start was therefore complicated against a 21-year-old player who bravely played his luck. Trailing 1-3 after being broken in the first set, the Serb chained five games in a row to win the first set.

A discomfort in the public then disrupted the start of the second set for a few minutes, but it was Kwon who again took the lead by breaking to lead 3-1 then confirming to break away 4-1. This time, the South Korean kept his advantage: widely supported by the public, led 0-30 on his serve to 5-3, he aligned four points in a row to equalize everywhere.

In the third round, this time it was Djokovic who was the first to score three games, but without managing to win Kwon.

Under growing pressure from the Serb, Kwon nevertheless began to bend: he lost his serve to allow Djokovic to lead 5-3 and serve to win the set, which he concluded with an ace.

The fourth set was only a formality: Djokovic broke to lead 3-2 and won on a 15th ace.