Defending champion Novak Djokovic extended the great Wimbledon tradition on Monday afternoon when he was the first player out on court to open up the 2015 edition of The Championships. Following a straightforward affair, the world No. 1 is through to the second round of the tournament, where he will encounter Jarkko Nieminen, whom he has faced on sixth previous occasions and leads 5-1 in the head to head.

It was business as usual for the top seed at SW19, as Novak Djokovic managed to dispatch Philipp Kohlschreiber in straight sets to advance to the second round of the grass court Slam. It was a solid showing from the Serb given that he was yet to play a professional match on grass this season. He may not heve been at his best but he was certainly good enough to defeat the German.

“It is great to be back in the cradle of our sport,” he said, smiling broadly. “We have this tradition that the champion opens on Centre Court. It is a privilege and an honour. It doesn’t get any bigger than Wimbledon. 2015 Day 1 Highlights, Novak Djokovic v Philip Kohlschreiber “To come back here only conjures up the dearest and the best memories. You have the butterflies and the thoughts that you are coming back to the place where you won last year.”

Djokovic will come up against Jarkko Nieminen, who ousted Lleyton Hewitt for the last time at the Wimbledon Championships on the opening day of action. It was a thrilling five set affair that only got better in quality as the match went on. In the end, Nieminen managed to break serve late in the match to win the encounter 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, 11-9.

This is just the seventh time that Djokovic and Nieminen will cross paths on the professional tour, with Djokovic leading the head-to-head series 5-1. Their most recent encounter took place just last month, when Djokovic defeated the Finish competitor in straight sets on the clay courts in at Roland Garros.