It was difficult to know which was the more incongruous sight at Crandon Park yesterday, Andy Murray being given an impromptu lesson in the art of cheerleading by a couple of the Miami Dolphins American football troupe, or Novak Djokovic coming apart at the seams against the world No 122, a South African apparently hewn from Table Mountain.

Kevin Anderson had remained largely under the tennis radar until he barged his way from the qualifying competition all the way into the final of the Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago. Having qualified again in South Florida, he really made a name for himself as he brought down the defending champion and the man who had set off in 2008 like he wanted to blaze an unstoppable trail.

Coming here from Indian Wells, where he had taken the title in bravura style, the Serb’s tank ran dry on his first appearance, although the kind of opponent he faced yesterday is one of those from a nightmare. Before Djokovic had time to adjust to the court colour, the scenery or have time to pick up the pace of the ball, it was flying around his ears and elbows, sent there by a straw-haired qualifier who stands 6ft 7in.

Djokovic did not look like the best player in the world this year from the moment he stepped onto the court. Anderson simply went on doing what he obviously does best, unleashing a serve that has three different stages, clubbing his returns and never giving the world No 3 an inch from the back of the court.

Anderson won 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 and, to be fair to him, Djokovic was quick to acknowledge the size of the win — and his opponent — while Anderson walked around with his hands across the top of his head, truly staggered by the immensity of his achievement. There are not many players who outmanoeuvre Djokovic from the baseline but Anderson did just that, to wild acclaim.

Murray, the British No 1, appeared on Thursday between two cheerleaders for a photo opportunity and did not seem the slightest fazed (Tim Henman would never have agreed to such a potentially embarrassing venture) hoping to pick up a new step or two.

He may need them today against Mario Ancic, the Croat who not more than five months ago was still struggling to overcome the glandular fever that confined him to bed, often for 18 hours a day, and the lingering weakness from thyroid and stomach problems on top of a shoulder injury meant that he could only imagine what it would be like to compete properly again.

Murray beat Ancic to win the Open 13 in Marseille last month, but the Croat, who has risen from No 136 at the start of the year to No 63, is likely to present him with a tough test.