(Recasts with quotes)
By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - A regulation 6-3 6-3 6-3 Wimbledon victory in which he did not drop his serve contained very few eye-popping moments for Novak Djokovic on Friday.
The real surprise came after the champion had subdued Australian Bernard Tomic in the third round and one gentleman in the stands thrust forward his prosthetic leg for Djokovic to autograph.
A grinning Djokovic duly obliged before declaring: "It's probably the first time I've been asked to sign an artificial leg. I hope my signature will make him feel better."
That surreal moment is likely to be the most notable memory Djokovic will take away from the contest but as far as Tomic was concerned, he might as well have been playing an opponent running on three legs.
Such was Djokovic's elastic-limbed defence, he slid into the splits as he scuttled from left to right to send back everything the hapless Tomic could throw at him.
The Australian who had complained of feeling dizzy in his last match because of the suffocating heat was once again left in a spin -- but it had nothing to do with the weather.
So commanding was Djokovic's performance that the usually vocal Fanatics -- who follow the Australian players around Wimbledon -- appeared to have lost their voices in the opening two sets.
They briefly came to life at the start of the third when Tomic earned three break points but the Serb emerged unscathed from that slight wobble and finished off the 27th seed with his 15th ace.
Djokovic could not have been more pleased with his performance as he reached the second week of the grasscourt major for the seventh year running by winning all nine sets he has contested.
"Great so far," summed up the eight-times grand slam champion, who has not lost to an Australian in a tour-level match since 2006.
"I was hoping I could play better and better as the tournament progresses and that is what's happening right now. As we are moving on, I feel more confident on court.
"Maybe it looks like I haven't been tested but I have. I played a couple of very good players, especially today against Bernard.
"It's not easy to win against him in straight sets.
"When you are on the court you have to earn it.
"I am pleased with the way I am playing. It is very close to where I want to be," added the Serb who will next face big-serving South African Kevin Anderson as he chases a third Wimbledon title.
"Hopefully, in the second week I can play even better. It will get harder. Kevin Anderson is a very good grasscourt player, the opponents will get tougher, better quality, higher ranked so I have to be on top of my game."
What did Tomic make of Djokovic?
"Too good, too good. It just shows you why he's the best.
"He just killed me today."
(Editing by Ed Osmond)