Australian Jordan Thompson has booked a Wimbledon date with defending champion Novak Djokovic after producing one of the best wins of his career against higher-ranked Brandon Nakashima.

Thompson, minus his trademark beard and ‘tache’, clawed back from two sets down after looking headed for an early exit barely an hour into the Championships on Monday (British time).

His comeback victory has booked a Centre Court showdown with Djokovic that Thompson admits could be “a dream or a nightmare”.

The Aussie battler came from two sets down to beat the higher-ranked American 2-6 2-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.

That earned him a second round tilt at the 23-time grand slam winner, who he believes may be “the best ever.”

Thompson has never played the Serb, but did face him across the net when a junior at the Australian Open about a decade ago.

Newly shaven, after after a barber got carried away and Thompson decided he may as well finish the job, the usually hirsute 29-year-old joked: “I hit with him when I was a kid. I doubt he would remember – but maybe as I’ve shaved and got a haircut he might recognise me now.”

Thompson, ranked 70 in the world, believes he can beat the world No.2.

“I wouldn’t go out on the court if I didn’t think I could do damage. As silly as it sounds, I’ve got to believe that I can win otherwise there is no point going out there,” he said.

“I know the odds are firmly against me. But yeah, just get out and enjoy it and just have fun. It’s not every day you play Novak at Wimbledon.

“It could be a dream, or could be a nightmare. I’ve seen a few guys have nightmares out there against him on Centre Court, but hopefully that won’t be the case for me.

“I played Rafa [Nadal[ at the French [Open] on [main court] Philippe Chatrier (losing 2-6 2-6 2-6 in 2022). I said at the end of the match to him, ‘it wasn’t fun, but it was an honour’.

“Hopefully, it’s a little bit more fun against Novak but I’m well aware that it might not be.”

Thompson said he’ll seek advice from his friend and compatriot Nick Kyrgios, who lost in four sets to Djokovic in last year’s final.

The brilliant first-day comeback triumph swept away the Australian gloom after Kyrgios pulled out on the eve of the tournament with a wrist injury.

Thompson, who had been trying to help his compatriot get fit for the tournament by practising with him at the All England Club, pulled off a remarkable victory on a wet and windy opening day in London.

Coming from two sets down in a grand slam for the third time in his career, never-say-die Thompson rallied in a rain-interrupted match to a 2-6 2-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win after it had looked as if he would get swept away by the American who had given Kyrgios a scare at Wimbledon last year.

It was a perfect tonic for the nine-strong Australian challenge after an early but predictable setback when Max Purcell, battling courageously with a fractured right foot, lost 6-3 7-5 6-4 in just over an hour and a half to Russia’s Andrey Rublev.

Queensland qualifier Storm Hunter, one of only two Australian women in the main draw, also suffered a heavy defeat, losing 6-3 6-1 to Wang Xinyu in a repeat of their Australian Open first-round clash, which had also been won by the Chinese world No.73.

Novak Djokovic wins against Pedro Cachin in their first round match. Photo: Getty

No slip-ups on Djokovic quest

Four-time defending champion and hot favourite Djokovic began his record quest with a straight-sets Wimbledon victory over a willing but eventually outgunned Argentine Pedro Cachin.

The Serbian, 36, is seeking a men’s record-extending 24th grand slam title that would also draw him level with Australia’s Margaret Court, to match Roger Federer’s eight Wimbledons and equal Federer and Bjorn Borg’s record of five successive men’s singles crowns.

He took a convincing first step with a 6-3 6-3 7-6(4) victory where the only time he looked really inconvenienced was when complaining about the risk of slipping on a mildly damp court after a shower caused a 70-minute delay during which the roof was closed and reopened.

Last time Djokovic lost on Centre Court was in the 2013 final against Andy Murray. Remarkably that was also his last defeat on grass by any of the 128 players in this year’s draw, though for several years he has avoided any of the grass court warm-up events.

“For me, the opening match is a little bit tricky, I’ve not played any warm-up match and grass is a little different to clay,” Djokovic said.

“I’ve managed to adapt pretty well over the years and hopefully I manage to do it again.”

Djokovic accepted that the rain delay was frustrating for the crowd but said it was still slippery until after the roof had been reopened.

“I usually come out with racquets, not towels,” he said.

As a reminder of the small margins that separate the great from the merely very good, Wimbledon debutant Cachin had played only one match on grass, and lost it. For long spells on Monday, he went toe to toe with the most successful player of all time and broke him for a 3-2 first-set lead on a rare Djokovic double fault.

The champion broke back immediately, however, and when he began to find his range, battered his way through the Argentine’s defences to take the first set in 42 minutes.

Then followed the sort of rain delay that drives Wimbledon fans mad.

But the action resumed after 70 minutes – with the roof open again – and Djokovic hit the ground running.

Venus Williams goes down injured against Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine. Photo: Getty

Venus out at first hurdle

Five-time champion Venus Williams returned to Wimbledon a quarter of a century after her first win but was unable to summon the old magic in a first-round defeat by Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.

The 43-year-old American, appearing at the championships for a record 24th time, retains the easy power that once made her the queen of Centre Court but went down 6-4 6-3.

Former world No.1 Williams, whose last Wimbledon title came in 2008 against sister Serena, won the opening two games. But she looked in serious trouble in the next as her bandaged right knee buckled under her while she moved to intercept a volley.

The Centre Court crowd winced as she crumpled to the turf. But after staggering back to her chair and receiving treatment, the old warrior spirit kicked in and Williams battled on.

The 28-year-old Svitolina, who at least was born when Venus first appeared at Wimbledon, unlike 53 players in the women’s draw, won four games in a row and took the opening set despite a fierce struggle to hold serve at 5-4.

Williams had more treatment before the start of set two but dropped serve immediately with a forehand into the net.

The crowd offered plenty of vocal encouragement, one fan shouting “You’ve still got it Venus” as she fought to extend the 355th grand slam singles match of her career – a total surpassed only by her sister Serena (423).

But former world No.3 Svitolina, who enjoyed a fairy-tale comeback from maternity leave by reaching the French Open quarter-finals last month, was ultimately just too sharp as she moved into a 5-1 lead.

Williams, who also won the title in 2000, 2001, 2005 and 2007, was not going to go down without a fight, unleashing some thunderous strokes to claw back two games.

Svitolina got the job done though and as the evening sunshine turned to shade, Williams walked off beaten, waving what might have been a final farewell to the crowd.