LONDON — As Arthur Rinderknech tumbled toward the Centre Court net after a volley, Novak Djokovic found himself hoping, “stay down, just stay down.”
Rinderknech obliged — and 39-year-old Djokovic expertly dove to execute a backhand volley winner on match point, clinching a record-equaling victory of 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4) in the third round at Wimbledon on Friday.
With his 105th win at the All England Club, Djokovic now shares the record for the most singles match victories with Roger Federer, who also boasts 105. The all-time leader is Martina Navratilova with 120 singles wins at Wimbledon.
Looking ahead to next weekend, Djokovic hopes to match Federer’s incredible tally of eight singles titles, but for today, this victory will suffice.
“I felt a lot of pressure today, more than usual,” Djokovic remarked during his on-court interview. “I anticipated a tough match.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion faced a brief setback — dropping the third set in just 18 minutes — yet held his composure during the fourth-set tiebreak. He delivered back-to-back aces before Rinderknech’s forehand sailed wide, setting the stage for match point.
“I noticed him slipping and falling, and I just thought, ‘please stay down’ for that last shot,” Djokovic reflected, after expressing frustration following the lost third set.
Equaling Federer’s 105 singles wins is “a tremendous honor and privilege,” Djokovic stated. “I’m up for a head-to-head showdown with Roger for 106.”
Next up for Djokovic is a match against Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin in the fourth round.
In other matches, defending champion Jannik Sinner triumphed over Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 on No. 1 Court to advance into the fourth round.
Safiullin Triumphs Over Fonseca
Roman Safiullin, the Russian qualifier, couldn’t hold back tears after a solid win against Brazilian standout João Fonseca, finishing 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 to secure his spot in the fourth round.
Ranked No. 132, Safiullin battled a knee injury last year but has successfully eliminated two seeded players during this tournament, including 12th-seeded Andrey Rublev in the first round. Fonseca was seeded No. 24.
The 28-year-old Safiullin, who made it to the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2023, became visibly emotional while recounting his challenging journey back to the court.
“Following the U.S. Open, I had to take a break to focus on my recovery,” he shared during his on-court interview. “That period was incredibly difficult. Just a half-year ago, I wasn’t sure I would return.”
As he paused to wipe his tears with his shirt, the crowd on No. 2 Court erupted in applause.
“I’m so thrilled to be back here,” he added, with palpable emotion in his voice.
In the women’s draw, top seed Aryna Sabalenka is set to face Jelena Ostapenko later on Centre Court.
