Dancing Days: Djokovic Dives Into 4th Round with Record-Tying 105th Wimbledon Match Win
Richard Pagliaro | Friday, July 3, 2026
Photo credit: Shaun Brooks/CameraSport
Wimbledon—Driven out of his comfort zone by Arthur Rinderknech’s rockets Novak Djokovic went airborne over Centre Court.
In one of the wildest match points of this Wimbledon, Rinderknech and Djokovic dueled in a double dive volley exchange at net.
Like a man plunging into a pool, Djokovic laid out for one final backhand volley winner landing the in the Wimbledon round of 16 for a record-tying 18th season with an entertaining 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) victory over a resolute Rinderknech.
Novak Djokovic diving volley on match point! 😱 pic.twitter.com/HftVyv0pFd
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2026
“I saw him slip and kind of fall down and I was like please stay down,” Djokovic told Annabel Croft afterward. “A lot of slipping and sliding, drop shots and cat and mouse play.
“He has that variety, big shots, comes into the net, he was changing the pace. He was taking me out of the comfort zone. Just really really relieved to come through this one.”
It’s a milestone moment for Djokovic.
The seven-time Wimbledon winner scored his 105th Wimbledon match-win to equal rival Roger Federer’s all-time record for most Wimbledon men’s singles match-wins.
Eighteen time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, who won 120 career matches at The Championships, holds the overall Wimbledon record for most singles victories.
Roger Federer 🤝 Novak Djokovic#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/tWep1VDanA
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2026
“To be able to make history of this sport is a huge honor and privilege,” said Djokovic, who improved to 105-13 at The Championships. “I’m not thinking about 105, 106 [wins], I’m just trying to win that match on a given day.
“Today I was quite stressed out, more tension than usual. I knew it would be a challenging match… I propose a match up between me and Roger for 106. Let’s just stop it here and Roger can come.”
Afterward a joyous Djokovic bopped around Centre Court in celebration aiming to earn the approval of his biggest fan—daughter Tara—and coming up slightly short in his own estimation.
“More than tennis, I hope my dance moves will improve,” Djokovic joked. “My daughter has been teaching me.
“She didn’t give me a smile in the end. Hopefully I can have many more dances until the end.”
The Grand Slam king, who was serenaded by a sing-song chant of “Nole! Nole! Nole” afterward, will try to keep this dance party facing marathon man Roman Safiullin for a quarterfinal spot.
MORE: Emotional Qualifier Safiullin Relishes Third Wimbledon Upset
The 132nd-ranked qualifier Safiullin made history as the first man to win multiple deciding set tiebreaks in the same year at Wimbledon when he edged 12th-seeded Andrey Rublev in his opener before out-dueling Botic Van de Zandschulp in round two. Today, the 28-year-old Safiullin swept 19-year-old Brazilian phenom Joao Fonseca, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, on No. 2 court for his maiden Wimbledon fourth round.
Djokovic, who raised his Grand Slam record to 407-57, knew he was in for a big battle today.
Last year, Rinderknech knocked off Alexander Zverev and Cristian Garin in five-set thrillers to reach the SW19 third round.
Facing the former No. 1 for the first time, Rinderknech hit 27 more winners (67 to 40), prevailed in more net points (31 to 29) and won more total points in this match (117 to 108) than the Olympic gold medal champion.
However, Djokovic won the pivotal points and played a proactive and confident tiebreaker to reach the fourth round with his second four-set win of the fortnight.
The pair traded breaks in the fifth and sixth games before Djokovic cracked serve again for a 6-5 lead. Djokovic won six of the final seven points for a one-set lead.
In the second set, Djokovic broke for a 2-1 lead then showed some superb serving, winning 12 of his final 14 serve points to build a two-set lead.
The Frenchman fired successive aces seizing a lopsided third set after one hour, 58 minutes. Rinderknech served 83 percent with seven aces and no double faults in that dominant third set.
Resetting, Djokovic charged through most service games building a 4-3 fourth-sed lead. When the seventh seeded Serbian went up Love-15 on Rinderknech’s serve, some fans began chanting “Nole! Nole!”
Answering the call, Djokovic rapped a forehand strike down the line to go up 15-30. Rinderknech came back banging an ace down then won a wild point to level after eight games, holding his hand behind his ear in an Alcaraz gesture exhorting fans to make more noise.
The 30-year-old Frenchman played a perfect serve-and-volley point, blocking a backhand volley winner to hold at love and force the fourth-set tiebreaker.
Rinderknech ripped his 21st ace for a 4-3 tiebreaker lead. Djokovic drilled successive aces then provoked a forehand error for double match point.
That diving duel at net—reminiscent of Djokovic’s ex-coach and former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, saw the Serbian taste the grass and victory in the process.
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