Novak Djokovic wins way into record book while advancing into fourth round at Wimbledon
LONDON — Novak Djokovic saw Arthur Rinderknech falling toward the Centre Court net after a volley and said to himself, “Please stay down.”
The Frenchman did — and 39-year-old Djokovic dove to hit a backhand volley winner on match point Friday for a 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4) record-equaling victory in the third round at Wimbledon.
Djokovic’s 105th match win at the All England Club tied Roger Federer on the men’s list for most singles match victories. Martina Navratilova has the tourney’s overall singles record with 120 wins.
By next weekend, Djokovic would love to equal Federer’s men’s record of eight singles titles, but reaching the fourth round will have to suffice for now.
“Today, I was quite stressed out, more tension than usual,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “I knew it was going to be a very challenging match for me.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion overcame a blip — dropping the third set in 18 minutes — and held his nerve in the fourth-set tiebreaker by hitting back-to-back aces before Rinderknech’s forehand went wide to set up match point.
“I saw him slip and kind of fall down. And I was just like, ‘Please stay down,’ for that last shot,” said Djokovic, who had repeatedly punched his left thigh after losing the third set.
Joining Federer on 105 singles match wins is “a huge honor and privilege,” Djokovic added. “I propose a matchup for me and Roger for 106.”
Djokovic will face Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin in the fourth round. Safiullin, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist in 2023, beat Brazilian rising star João Fonseca 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner beat Jenson Brooksby, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, on No. 1 Court to advance to the fourth round.
The Italian, hoping to put his French Open meltdown in the rearview mirror, finished Brooksby in two-plus hours after his opening-round five-setter was followed by a second-round win over Nuno Borges in straight sets, albeit with two tiebreakers.
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“I’m trying to find my way in. Felt better today, which was my main goal,” the four-time Grand Slam champion said. “Trying to move better. Return today was a little bit better. All things considered, was a small step forward.”
Sinner will next face Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, who stunned 23rd-seeded Rafael Jodar of Spain, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-4, to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time. Mochizuki, ranked No. 151, won the Wimbledon boys’ title in 2019.
In other men’s action, third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime beat American qualifier Michael Zheng, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, 6-1, in the Canadian’s Centre Court debut, and Jan-Lennard Struff upended eighth-seeded Daniil Medvedev, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.
On the women’s side, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka will meet for a spot in the quarterfinals after both players won in straight sets.
Sabalenka beat Jelena Ostapenko, 6-4, 6-4, on Centre Court and declared herself ready for the 14th-seeded Osaka in what will be a battle of four-time Grand Slam champions.
“She’s [a] very aggressive player, serving well,” Sabalenka said. “I watched a couple of her matches . . . I’m ready to go out there and to bring the fight and to do anything it takes to get through this difficult match.”
Osaka, into the fourth round at the All England Club for the first time, eliminated Daria Kasatkina, 6-1, 6-3, on No. 1 Court.
Coco Gauff got past fellow American Claire Liu, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, after having three match points at 5-4 in the second set. Gauff will next face 11th-seeded Belinda Bencic.
Other winners in the women’s draw included fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula, 10th-seeded Karolina Muchova, and 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.
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