Djokovic Ties Federer Wimbledon Record — 105th Win at SW19
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Novak Djokovic carved out another piece of tennis history on Friday at the All England Club, grinding past France's Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) in the third round of Wimbledon 2026. The victory was the 39-year-old's 105th career match win at Wimbledon, drawing him level with Roger Federer's all-time record for men's singles victories at the tournament — a mark many believed might never be touched.
Federer set the standard across two decades of dominance on the London grass, piling up 105 wins and eight titles before his final Wimbledon appearance in 2021. Since the Swiss star's retirement, Djokovic has been chipping away at the number every summer, and on Friday evening on Centre Court, the chase finally ended in a tie. One more victory — his fourth-round match this weekend — would give the Serbian sole possession of the record.
The milestone did not come easily. Playing in oppressive humidity that had players across the grounds laboring all afternoon, Djokovic controlled the first two sets with his trademark efficiency, breaking Rinderknech late in each. But the third set brought a startling dip: the Serbian looked physically drained, dropping games in bunches as Rinderknech, one of the biggest servers in the draw, seized the momentum and ran away with the set 6-1.
The fourth set turned into the kind of high-wire act that has defined Djokovic's late career. Serving under pressure throughout, he fended off the Frenchman's charges and forced a tiebreak. There, with the match hanging in the balance, came the moment of the night — Rinderknech pitched forward toward the net after a volley, and Djokovic launched into a full dive to meet the reply, winning the point sprawled across the grass. He closed out the breaker 7-4 to seal the win.
The dive drew a roar from the Centre Court crowd and an exhausted grin from Djokovic, who has made a habit of celebrating big Wimbledon wins with flair. After match point, he treated fans to a few dance moves — a lighter touch from a player who has spent much of the fortnight answering questions about his age, his fitness, and how much longer he intends to keep chasing history.
The numbers say the chase is still very much alive. Djokovic's 105 Wimbledon wins have come alongside seven titles, and his overall Grand Slam resume — the most major singles championships in men's history — already places him atop most statistical arguments. But Wimbledon has always carried special weight, and matching Federer's win total at the tournament the Swiss legend defined adds a distinctly personal chapter to the rivalry that shaped an era.
Djokovic himself leaned into that history after the match, playfully throwing down a challenge to his retired rival. He suggested Federer come out of retirement so the two could "play for the 106th" — a line that drew laughs in the press room and lit up social media within minutes.
Awaiting Djokovic in the fourth round is Roman Safiullin, the 28-year-old Russian qualifier who has quietly put together one of the tournament's surprise runs. Safiullin dismantled Brazilian phenom Joao Fonseca 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 on Friday, striking the ball cleanly and showing no sign of nerves on the big stage. Djokovic has historically feasted on qualifiers deep in majors, but Safiullin's flat, aggressive hitting could test him if the legs are still heavy.
The bigger question is stamina. Friday's third-set collapse was a reminder that even the greatest returner in history cannot outrun time forever. Djokovic has managed his schedule carefully this season with exactly these two weeks in mind, and the second week at Wimbledon — where matches stretch longer and the pressure compounds — will reveal how much he has left in the tank.
Elsewhere in the men's draw, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner continued to look like the man to beat, sweeping American Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 with 13 aces to book his own spot in the second week. A potential Djokovic-Sinner collision remains the matchup the tennis world is circling — a generational clash with history on one side and peak form on the other.
For now, though, the weekend belongs to the record books. One hundred and five wins at the All England Club, level with Federer, with a chance to stand alone before the second week is out. Djokovic has spent his career turning other men's benchmarks into his own footnotes — and once again, the most famous lawn in tennis is where he plans to do it next.
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