Novak Djokovic Draws Level With Roger Federer’s Wimbledon Men’s Match Win Record With Third Round Victory

Novak Djokovic added another line to his already staggering résumé on Friday, grinding past France’s Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) in the third round at Wimbledon to record his 105th career match win at the All England Club — pulling him level with Roger Federer’s all-time men’s singles record.

A Match That Wasn’t Straightforward

At 39, Djokovic has looked sharp all fortnight, but the seventh seed had to work for this one. He cruised through the first two sets, only to run into a spirited comeback from the 25th-seeded Rinderknech, who reeled off five straight games to snatch the third set and briefly threatened to bagel Djokovic — something no opponent has managed at a major since Rafael Nadal in 2020.

The Frenchman, a 6’5” big hitter making his best run yet at a Grand Slam, kept the pressure on deep into a tense fourth set before the match came down to a tiebreak. Djokovic held his nerve, sealing the win with a diving volley after both players ended up on the grass chasing down a rally. The contest lasted just over three hours.

“It was a really tiring, really close match,” Djokovic said afterward. “Sometimes you have to find a way to win, and I’m happy that I did that today.”

Level With Federer, Chasing History

The win takes Djokovic to 105 Wimbledon match victories, matching Federer’s men’s record. Only Martina Navratilova, with 120 wins on the women’s side, sits above them on the all-time list.

Djokovic will get the chance to move into outright first when he faces qualifier Roman Safiullin in the fourth round. Safiullin, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, earned his spot by upsetting 24th seed João Fonseca earlier in the day. Djokovic leads their head-to-head 3-0 without dropping a set.

Asked about the milestone, Djokovic downplayed the numbers game while still allowing himself a nod to what’s ahead: “I’m not thinking if it’s going to be 105, 106, etc. I’m just trying to win that match on the given day.” He later added, with a smile, that he’d welcome “a matchup between me and Roger for 106.”

Bigger Picture

The record chase comes as Djokovic pursues a 25th Grand Slam title and an eighth Wimbledon crown, which would tie him with Federer for the most men’s singles titles at the tournament. He’s dropped just two sets across three rounds so far, and pundits — including former US Open champion Andy Roddick — have been impressed by the quality of his tennis, particularly in a straight-sets win over Stefanos Tsitsipas earlier in the week.

At 39, Djokovic is also bidding to become the oldest man to win a major title in the Open era. Whether or not he breaks Federer’s Wimbledon win record in the next round, one thing is clear: two decades into his career, he’s still finding new milestones to chase down.