LONDON: Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon third round for the 16th time on Wednesday with a straight sets win over Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis. Djokovic, who is bidding to equal Pete Sampras as a seven-time champion at the All England Club, eased past his 79th-ranked opponent 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. For a place in the fourth round, Djokovic will meet compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic who beat Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in four sets. Third seed and French Open runner-up Casper Ruud was knocked out of Wimbledon in the second round, going down in four sets to Ugo Humbert of France. Ruud, bidding to become the first Norwegian player since 1962 to reach the last 32 at Wimbledon, lost 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. Humbert, ranked 112, had never won a match at the All England Club before this week. He will face Belgian David Goffin for a place in the last 16. 35-year-old Djokovic, bidding for his seventh Wimbledon title, looked scratchy during his opening win over Kwon Soon-woo but he was back close to his usual lofty standards against. Australian Kokkinakis defeated Roger Federer in the second round of the Miami Masters in 2018 but there were no signs of another upset on Centre Court as the 20-times major champion dictated terms from the start. It was the 23rd straight victory for Djokovic at the grasscourt Grand Slam. The Serb, who defeated Kokkinakis in straight sets in their only previous meeting seven years ago at Roland Garros, broke his opponent’s serve early in each of the three sets and managed five breaks in the match. Djokovic dominated rallies with his precise groundstrokes and was eager to step forward at every opportunity – winning 30 out of 38 points at the net. He brought the crowd to their feet with well-disguised drop shots and when Kokkinakis chased a few of them down, Djokovic calmly played the overhead lob to keep his opponent stranded at the net. The only opportunity Kokkinakis had on Djokovic’s serve came when the Serb was serving for victory, but he duly saved the breakpoint and closed out the win in two hours on his second match point. For a place in the fourth round, Djokovic will meet compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic who beat Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in four sets.