Novak Djokovic added another landmark to his Wimbledon record as he secured his 105th victory at the Championships, moving into the fourth round on Friday.
The 39-year-old Serb, who continues his pursuit of Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon men’s singles titles, was forced to withstand periods of pressure in a fluctuating contest against France’s Arthur Rinderknech.
Djokovic prevailed 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 on Centre Court. Victory over Russia’s Roman Safiullin in the next round would place him second outright on the all-time Wimbledon wins list, behind Martina Navratilova, who holds 120 victories.
Djokovic, who earlier defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round, again demonstrated his command on grass in the opening sets against the 30-year-old Frenchman. His precision and movement drew appreciative support from the Centre Court crowd.
Rinderknech, however, produced a determined display and remained competitive throughout, pushing Djokovic hard, particularly in the third set where he came close to a 6-0 advantage.
With improved serving and greater accuracy, the Frenchman briefly posed a serious threat before Djokovic restored control and delivered a clean performance in the fourth-set tie-break to complete the match.
