Wimbledon 2012: Novak Djokovic v Stepanek as it happened

Ace down the middle, hold to love; Djoko to his chair knowing that he will walk out to serve for the match.

A game taken in vain, perhaps, as Djokovic rattles to within a single hold of the fourth round with a flawless exhibition of serving.

Djokovic wipes his forehead on his long white wristband, rotates his racquet in his hand and drills a double-fisted backhand back cross-court at tracer pace. Steppers to the net to lift a winner down the line, but that is too good from Djokovic - dreamily deadly lob, whispering over Stepanek's flailing racquet, brutal yorker as Stepanek charges in behind a serve. Best game of the match this, the level of both players suddenly up with the gods. Stepanek holds after a glorious succession of deuces and acknowledges the lusty cheers of Centre Court with a racquet thrust into the sky.

Stepanek wipes his weary brow on his official Wimbledon towel. Good job it's green; had the ball-girl handed him a white one, I fear he may have thrown it at the umpire's feet.

Wonderful instinctive backhand lob from Djokovic as Stepanek persists with his net charges. A slamming forehand down the line is followed by another cross-court than clips the line - second break taken, match surely in the bag.

Hard to see how the old boy can get back into this. Two hours 23 minutes in, and Djokovic holds with a bead of sweat darkening his beetling brows.

Oh, fury and self-recrimination from Stepanek as he pumps a straightforward volley long. Break points served up on a silver salver - garnished with a backhand wide to complete the free meal.

Probing volleys from Steppers, once again getting nose over the tape, but mixing them in with backhands pushed wide. He does love coming in, and for eyes used to fierce baseline exchanges it's pleasing to see. Djokovic to serve for the set.

Sandy-brown patches spreading out from the service areas as Djoko canters through closer to the set. Strange shot from Stepanek, barely pulling up through the backlift, pushing his reply beyond even the tram-lines. Parkesque.

Stepanek looking a bit creaky now at the net, plonking that volley long, but he follows up with a restorative ace. Djokovic pushes a forehand return wide, the 28th seed on the scoreboard in the third set.

Rare error from Djokovic, angling a backhand volley into the train-tracks, and a super volley from Steppers conjures up a break point from thin air. Cuffing forehand from Djokovic to hurry Stepanek into feeble forehand slice, but the Serb tightens on his forehand from the baseline to offer up another. Big first serve, no answer; backhand slice onto the tape, advantage Novak, roadblock cleared.

A stoop now to the Stepanek stride, his shoulders a little slumped under this onslaught. To the net again, tilting bravely but perhaps foolhardily as Djokovic slams a flat backhand past him; mistake long off the forehand, and with two breaks now gone you rather feel the die has been cast for this match.

Wide off the forehand from Stepanek; for some reason he decides to challenge that one, desperate to derail the runaway Djokovic express train any way he can. No chance on that one though - that looked two inches off from up here, and Hawk-Eye confirms it.

Crisp backhand cross-court from Djokovic, but that's a supreme stretching forehand volley from Stepanek to go to 40-30. Titters in the crowd as a ricochet loops up towards a chap in the crowd wearing a blue gingham shirt - dear oh dear, hands as soft as coal scuttles, drops an absolute gimme. Djoko accelerating, charging Steppers, forcing errors... long, long from the wilting Czech, break snatched away...

Never a doubt, never a danger. Djoko back to his chair and that strange racquet-bag of his, with its two-legged stand in the style of a golf-bag. 17 winners in that set from the champion; it took him a little time, but he has now found his range.

Djokovic starting to ease through the gears here. He races to 0-40 on the StepServe, watched approvingly there by Sir Trevor McDonald, and snatches his second break with brazen brilliance. Moments away from leveling up, you'd have to think.

I'm told that some of you are having issues with the new video player. I'll shout down into the bunker and let them know - apologies in the meantime. Stepanek with a surprise sniff of a break as Djoko pulls a forehand drive-volley into the net, but he can only push a second-serve return long, and when Djoko slices deep and comes in to crash away the winner the little glimmer is gone.

The Djokovic serve has been untouchable throughout this match - with the all-important exception of that 10th game in the first set. Hold to love; normal service quite literally resumed.

Stepanek holds apace to get the scoreboard ticking over; punters stand to stretch legs, throw back beverages and rummage in bags for pre-prepared snacks.

The first hour of the match ticks over. Djoko bullets a serve down the middle and then flicks in wrong-footing winner cross-court as Steppers brings him to the net. Foolishly. Forehand long and wide from Stepanek; break maintained. A notice from our technical wizards deep in the BBC bunker: 'We will shortly be switching our video player to the new upgraded version. If you are following this page on our website, you will be able to find the player via the promotional button on the right-hand side or via our front page.'

They say there were 110 lightning strikes around the UK on Thursday. We surely couldn't have two in exactly the same spot, could we? Djokovic, riled, comes out from the changeover with eyes glaring and all guns blazing - backhand pass down the line, and another, even faster, for two break points. Fearsome service return, Steppers on the back foot, backhand falling short and into the net. Instant break...

Ai-yai-yai- what a reply from Djokovic, fizzed into the turf at Stepanek's feet as he canters to the net. Two break points, Steppers to the tape again, Djoko feathering a backhand floater just wide. Second breaker... volley perfection from the Czech, right onto the junction of baseline and tram-line. Deuce. Djoko bossing the next rally, pulling his opponent this way and that like a sadistic puppeteer, opening up the court to... good Lord, he's stuck it long! Steppers to the net - retro - Djoko creaming one right at his midriff, and somehow he reflexes it away for the game.

While Stepanek is having to scrap for his every service game, Djokovic is cruising through his with the top down and the sound system punping. Hold to 15. Still gloomy on Centre despite the roof and lights being in operation. Vendors of umbrellas doing a decent trade on the walk down Wimbledon Park Road from Southfields tube station this morning.

Stepanek being watched by his wife Nicole Vaidisova, the former world number seven. Super backhand volley in the shadow of the net to send Djoko out of court and create space for a simple put-away; running forehand drifting wide for what John McEnroe is calling "dooce". Another slippery serve skids out wide to Djoko's backhand, and the Serb is comprehensively foxed. Vaidisova retired at 20, if you'd forgotten; by that point in her career, she'd already earned $2.7m in prize money. Lucrative with a capital lucre.

Djokovic cruising at 40-30, only for Stepanek to exert some unexpected pressure and haul it back to 40-30 as Djoko's attempted cross-court pass slaps against the tape. No, too long from the Czech, as you were.

Another name for you in the Royal Box: Francesco Ricci Bitti. I'm not making this up. Stepanek long, and he's in trouble now - forced wide and hurried, forehand onto the tape. Break point. Thumping serve wide and kicking to the backhand, Djoko lunging but without success. Francesco Ricci Bitti, of course, is the president of the International Tennis Federation, and I'll have no sniggering at the back. Overhead from Stepanek to snuff out the sparks - for now. No, Francesco does not have a daughter called Vicky.

A reminder that Britain's Heather Watson is on Centre after this, up against Agnieszka Radwanska. And then six-time champion Roger Federer, Julien Benneteau the rabbit in the headlights. John Major in the Royal Box today, plus Bernard Gallacher, former Ryder Cup captain. Djokovic holds with emotionless ease.

They've met seven times before, these two; Djoko leads the series 6-1, and hasn't lost since the hard courts of Rotterdam in 2006. Out of the traps hard again here - runaround forehand slapped into Steppers' backhand corner, the desperate lunge from the Czech sending the ball long. Another forehand from deep has too much mustard on it - break point, saved with a booming serve down the middle. Probably only three-quarters full on Centre at the moment, but those in their seats watch as Stepanek aims a serve out wide to the Djoko backhand with success.

The roof has now been closed for at least some portion of the last three days - a new record for Wimbledon since the lid first became operational in 2009. Steppers slicing on the backhand, taking the pace out of the rally and then putting pedal to metal with a rasping forehand - no no, just long. Djoko to the net now - stretching forehand volley deep, dropper at the net with his opponent stranded at the end of the District Line.

Trouble for Steppers from the off as two volleys at the net sit up and ask to be spanked back past him by Djokovic's whipping backhand drive. In to the net once again, this time with volleys that are deeper and crisper - mmm, much better, game safely sealed.