Novak Djokovic matched Roger Federer’s all-time men’s record of 105 Wimbledon singles victories after overcoming a stern challenge from Arthur Rinderknech to book his place in the fourth round on Friday.
The seven-time champion weathered a spirited fightback from the big-serving Frenchman before sealing a 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) victory in a gripping three-hour, one-minute contest on Centre Court.
The win sees Djokovic draw level with Federer for the most men’s singles victories at Wimbledon, with only Martina Navratilova’s overall mark of 120 wins standing above them in the tournament’s history.
“To be able to make history in this sport is a huge honour and a huge privilege,” Djokovic said after the match.
“Particularly here, it’s always been my childhood dream tournament. I’m not thinking about whether it’s 105 or 106. I’m just trying to win the match that’s in front of me.
“Today I was quite stressed. There was more tension than usual because I knew it would be a very difficult match. I’m just happy I managed to come through. Maybe Roger and I should play each other for No. 106,” he joked.
Having cruised past Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in the previous round, Djokovic was made to work much harder by Rinderknech, whose fearless shot-making and powerful serve repeatedly tested the Serbian.
The Frenchman struck 35 winners across the opening two sets despite falling behind, before capitalising on a dip in Djokovic’s level to dominate the third set and force the contest back to life.
Rinderknech continued to push the 24-time Grand Slam champion deep into the fourth set, thrilling the Centre Court crowd with a series of spectacular rallies. One breathtaking exchange at 4-4, in which Djokovic was forced well behind the baseline before missing a backhand, brought spectators to their feet.
Despite the mounting pressure, Djokovic’s experience proved decisive. He steadied himself in the crucial moments, neutralised Rinderknech’s aggressive serve-and-volley tactics and held his nerve in the fourth-set tie-break to complete another milestone victory.
The 39-year-old Serbian will next face qualifier Roman Safiullin in the fourth round after the Russian produced an impressive 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Joao Fonseca. Safiullin, who struggled with injuries late last season and arrived at Wimbledon without a tour-level win in 2026, has emerged as one of the tournament’s surprise packages.