Novak Djokovic displayed both dominance and levity during his straight-sets victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon on Wednesday. The 24-time Grand Slam champion won 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the next round, where he will face France’s Arthur Rinderknech.

During the match, Djokovic lightened the mood with a playful moment involving a ball girl. When she was asked to cut black tape from his right shoulder, Djokovic suddenly cried out in pain, startling her. The ball girl momentarily recoiled, appearing concerned she had caused an injury. Djokovic quickly revealed it was a prank, sharing a laugh with her and the crowd. “These kinds of things surface when you are two sets to love up rather than two sets to love down… I’m sorry if I scared her, it made me a bit more relaxed on the court,” he said afterward.

Djokovic’s buoyant mood continued during an on-court interview, where he noticed Rory McIlroy wearing his Masters Tournament Green Jacket from golf’s prestigious event. Addressing the Northern Irish golfer in the Royal Box, Djokovic expressed admiration for the jacket and jokingly challenged McIlroy to a sport-swap: tennis for golf. “This jacket for that jacket, we play tennis, no golf,” he said, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

The Serb also reflected on his performance and career longevity, noting his satisfaction with how he is playing and his gratitude for competing at Wimbledon at age 30-plus. “I try not to take these moments for granted when playing on the Centre Court of Wimbledon. I feel very privileged to be walking out on this court at age 30-plus. Age is just a number,” Djokovic said, dressed in a cream blazer that has become a signature look during the tournament.

Djokovic’s win over Tsitsipas improves his chances of capturing an eighth Wimbledon title and setting a record 25th Grand Slam victory in his career. He will next face Rinderknech, the 25th seed from France, as he continues his quest for further Grand Slam success.