Wimbledon 2019: Novak Djokovic reaches round three by beating Denis Kudla on Centre Court

Novak Djokovic sailed smoothly into the third round of Wimbledon after a trouble-free straight-sets win over Denis Kudla.

The reigning champion's defence of his title was never threatened by the American and he strolled to a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win on Centre Court.

Djokovic, going for a fifth Wimbledon crown, will undoubtedly face sterner tests ahead but maybe not until the semi-finals after the draw has opened up favourably for him.

He faces Hubert Hurkacz in the next round - a Polish player who is enjoying his best ever grand slam run.

The writing was on the wall for Kudla when Djokovic won the opening five games, though a mini fightback did at least delay the Serbian racing to the first set.

Djokovic barely had to get out of second gear and broke Kudla's serve regularly to set up the easiest of wins in 93 minutes.

Kyle Edmund refused to blame a knee problem for his collapse against Fernando Verdasco and instead admitted he is not fit enough.

The British number one looked to be on his way to the third round at Wimbledon for the second straight year when he led his veteran Spanish opponent by two sets and 3-0 but he let Verdasco back in and then appeared to hurt himself in a slip on the baseline.

Edmund has had a difficult season, with a left knee problem dogging him since last October, but he received treatment to his right knee here as well as his back at consecutive changes of ends, speaking to both the doctor and the trainer.

Edmund's movement was certainly compromised and his resistance ran out as Verdasco wrapped up a 4-6 4-6 7-6 (3) 6-3 6-4 victory to book a third-round date with Italian Thomas Fabbiano.

But Edmund played down the impact of the slip in the eighth game of the third set, saying: "I think my leg just straightened. In that moment, I felt something. I was able to play on from that."

Reilly Opelka caused the big shock of the day by knocking out Stan Wawrinka.

Big is the operative word given, at a shade over 6ft 11in, Opelka is the tallest man ever to have an ATP ranking.

The 21-year-old American, who claimed the junior title at the All England Club in 2015, had only won one grand slam match before this tournament but recovered from two sets to one down to defeat 22nd seed Wawrinka 7-5 3-6 4-6 6-4 8-6.

"It's a huge win," said Opelka, who next faces a fellow big server in former finalist Milos Raonic.

"More so the situation of the match, being down two sets to one against him. Break points the first game in the fourth set, and that's tough, obviously. He easily could have walked away with that in four sets. But I'm just proud of how I competed and how I handled the big moments of the match."

Ivo Karlovic looked like he might make it a double for the giants but the Croatian lost out in five sets to 5ft 8in Thomas Fabbiano.

Fourth seed Kevin Anderson, the man Djokovic conquered in the final last year, dropped a set against Janko Tipsarevic but recovered to win 6-4 6-7 (5) 6-1 6-4.

Anderson is playing only his fifth tournament of the season because of elbow problems, and he said: "It's definitely getting better. I think it's a process. But, having played four sets today and feeling really good and a match a few days ago, that's a very positive sign for me.

"I thought I served well throughout, not getting broken. Of course I'm really pleased with how my body held up. That's the most important thing right now for me."

The youngest man in the draw continued to hit new heights, with 19th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime reaching the third round of a slam for the first time.

The 18-year-old Canadian, who could play Djokovic in the fourth round, defeated another young gun in France's Corentin Moutet 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-2.

Auger-Aliassime admitted he had to battle his nerves, saying: "There's a bit of a pressure. I think it's quite funny, because I think for a lot of players when they play their first grand slam, they have zero expectations.

"A player like Moutet today, he's loose, nothing to lose. For me to play, not my first slam, but to win my first match and already people are talking about me going far, it's something very odd."

Tenth seed Karen Khachanov faced a potential banana skin in Queen's Club champion Feliciano Lopez but hit back after losing the first set to win 4-6 6-4 7-5 6-4.

Daniil Medvedev, the Russian 11th seed, matched his best run at Wimbledon by beating Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (6) 6-1 6-4 6-4 and next plays 21st seed David Goffin, who defeated Jeremy Chardy in straight sets.

Related Wimbledon 2019 links

• Click here for printable men's draw PDF
• Latest Wimbledon odds
• Wimbledon men's betting preview
• Wimbledon women's betting preview
• Wimbledon men: The contenders
• Wimbledon women: The contenders
• Wimbledon: By the numbers
• Wimbledon: Talking points