Novak Djokovic is getting closer to matching Roger Federer’s amazing Wimbledon record.
Novak Djokovic’s staying power in tennis is truly amazing. The Serbian star has a chance to make more history at Wimbledon in his third-round match against Arthur Rinderknech.
At 39 years old, Djokovic is chasing his 25th Grand Slam title and has started strong, losing only one set in easy wins over Wu Yibing and Stefanos Tsitsipas before his big match on Centre Court.
Trying to become the oldest man to win a major in the Open era, Djokovic feels great and is inspired by Rory McIlroy’s success.
“I feel great. I’ve said it many times, but I don’t take this moment for granted, playing at my childhood dream tournament on Centre Court,” Djokovic said after beating Tsitsipas.
“I’ve always felt lucky to be out here at 30-plus. Age is just a number, and some people who really get it are sitting in the Royal Box.
“Rory, Justin [Thomas], Luke [McDonald] — great to see you guys. Congrats to Team Europe on the Ryder Cup; I watched you all.”
McIlroy’s presence shows how much Djokovic means to sports fans. Even though it’s a tough goal, Djokovic is close to breaking one of Roger Federer’s Wimbledon records.
Right now, he’s just one win away from matching Federer’s 105 men’s singles wins at Wimbledon. If he beats Rinderknech and reaches the quarter-finals, he’ll set a new record.
Djokovic last won Wimbledon in 2022, beating Nick Kyrgios. Since then, he finished second to Carlos Alcaraz twice and lost to Jannik Sinner in last year’s semi-final.
Sinner, 24, is the biggest challenge to Djokovic winning an eighth Wimbledon title, but confidence is growing that Novak can handle him.
After Djokovic’s 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Tsitsipas, former US Open champ Andy Roddick was full of praise.
“Seeing him up close, his serve and ball striking are unbelievable. He has a real shot at this,” Roddick said on his podcast.
“Today was key. Winning keeps the dream of 25 titles alive. The match lasted just an hour and a half — that energy will fuel him more.”
“There wasn’t a single weak spot in his game. Tsitsipas likes more time and height on the ball, but grass court doesn’t help with that.
“Djokovic was brilliant — crushing second serve returns, moving the ball, and firing shots with power like we haven’t seen in a while. I was really impressed.”
Djokovic’s challenge is to keep playing this well against tougher opponents. If he can, he has a great chance to be Wimbledon champ again.