Fresh off a maiden ATP Challenger victory last month in Nottingham, Fearnley acquitted himself well in his first match, sweeping aside Spanish qualifier Alejandro Moro Cañas in straight sets. But the world No. 277 was in for an entirely different challenge against Djokovic, who was coming off his 93rd Wimbledon main draw victory earlier in the week.
The two traded seamless service holds through the first seven games, Djokovic making his move on the eighth and serving out the opening set to love.
The second set proceeded in similar fashion, though Fearnley threatened to score a break of his own against a clutch Djokovic, who turned the tables on the young Brit to edge back in front, putting himself up a comfortable two sets. Poised to run away with the match when he broke serve for a third time, Fearnley lit up the crowd as he pressured Djokovic on serve, leveling the third set at three games apiece when he drew his vaunted rival into a backhand unforced error.
Fearnley kept up his level after handing Djokovic his first break of the tournament, saving three more break points over his next two serve games as the two hurtled towards a tiebreaker.
Serving to stay in the set, Djokovic found himself outfoxed at net and Fearnley gamely broke again, converting set point by forcing a forehand error from the world No. 2.
A double fault handed Fearnley a pair of break points in the sixth game of the fourth set, but Djokovic saved both with his inimitable ball striking, saving the second with a strong overhead.
Still, Fearnley had a fifth set in his sights when he blinked in the 10th game, erring long off the forehand side and throwing in a double fault to put Djokovic a game away from the third round.
Djokovic made no mistake on serve this time, putting away a powerful forehand to secure a hard-fought victory over an inspired opponent.
Up next for the Serb will be either No. 30 seed Tomás Martín Etcheverry or Aussie Alexei Popyrin.
