After racing through the opening two sets, Novak Djokovic looked destined for a straight-sets win. But the script quickly changed as Arthur Rinderknech mounted a fierce comeback and nearly dragged the match away from him. Just when the momentum seemed to be slipping, the 24-time Grand Slam winner regrouped in the fourth set, closed out the win, and then called on Roger Federer for one final challenge.

“I am just really trying to win in on that match today,” Novak said in his post-match interview. “Today was quite stressful. More tension than [usual], honestly, because I know it was going to be a more challenging match for me, which has turned out to be.”

“I propose a matchup between me and Roger for 106, you know, whoever wins gets. Let’s just stop it here, and let’s call Roger to come,” Nole later added.

That light-hearted challenge on Centre Court came after Djokovic kept his SW19 title charge alive with a 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 win. With the victory over the Frenchman, Djokovic recorded his 105th SW19 main-draw win. 

In doing so, he drew level with Roger Federer’s remarkable mark at the All-England Club. Federer, his former rival, also finished his career at Wimbledon with 105 main-draw wins.

Now, the 39-year-old has the chance to move ahead of the Swiss icon if he wins his next match at this year’s SW19. The only player still above him on the all-time list is former WTA world No. 1 Martina Navratilova, who owns a staggering 120 Wimbledon wins.

Standing in Djokovic’s way is Roman Safiullin, the Russian qualifier who pulled off an upset by defeating the Brazilian Joao Fonseca in the third round. If Djokovic beats the 28-year-old, he will move past Roger at Wimbledon and add yet another major record to his name.

It would also mean something even bigger in the Grand Slam picture for the Serb. Djokovic would then have recorded more wins than the 20-time Grand Slam champion at all 4 majors, having already collected 104 at AO, 103 at the French Open, 105 at Wimbledon, and 95 at the US Open.

Still, while the record chase after today’s win looks impressive off-court, on court, the match itself was far from simple. The scoreboard may not fully show it, but the Serbian GOAT had to work much harder than it first appeared.

Novak Djokovic applauds Arthur Rinderknech for his incredible fight on Centre Court

The match between the Serb and Rinderknech lasted 3 hours and 1 minute, and it was far from straightforward for Nole. The battle ended with both men lying on the grass after a dramatic match point on Centre Court.

In the third set, the 30-year-old came within 2 points of handing Djokovic just the 13th bagel of his career. The current world No. 28 pushed him to the brink during an extraordinary 18-minute third set and nearly left a huge mark on the match.

Djokovic, at the end, avoided that unwanted piece of history. He reset himself in the coming set, found his way back, and eventually came through the battle.

After the match, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist made sure to praise his opponent for the level he had brought to the court. “It was also due to his quality. He’s very tall. He hit some incredible serves. So, he deserves a round of applause for his performance today,” Nole added.

Djokovic also reflected on his own effort, especially after fans had seen him slipping repeatedly during the opening set. “A bit of luck, a bit of skill, in the end,” Novak explained.

Now, the attention shifts to his next test against the 28-year-old qualifier. The Russian, who struggled with injuries toward the end of last year, had not recorded a single tour-level win this year before arriving at SW19.

That only adds another layer to Sunday’s matchup between them. And with a real chance that Roger Federer could be in attendance as well, it would make for quite an image if Nole manages to surpass Roger’s mark at Wimbledon right in front of him.