Novak Djokovic reached the fourth round at Wimbledon on Friday while matching Roger Federer's all-time men's record of 105 match wins at the tournament, defeating Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) in an absorbing Centre Court contest. The 39-year-old Serbian, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, has spent much of the latter part of his career chasing and equalling the records of his great Swiss rival, and he acknowledged the milestone with characteristic humour. "I propose a match-up between Roger and me for 106," Djokovic joked in his on-court interview, adding: "Let's just stop it here and call Roger to come."

The match itself was far from straightforward. Djokovic was dominant and precise through the opening two sets, showcasing the elasticity and shot-making that have defined his career, at one point diving like a goalkeeper to make a volley before bowing theatrically to the crowd. Rinderknech, the 25th seed, hit back emphatically in the third set and came close to handing Djokovic his first "bagel" — a 6-0 loss — at Wimbledon. The Frenchman continued to threaten in a high-quality fourth set before Djokovic steadied himself to win a flawless tiebreak and seal the match, with both players tumbling to the ground on the final point.

Djokovic, who reported feeling physically fresh and free of significant complaints following his run at the French Open in Paris, also equalled Federer's record of reaching the Wimbledon fourth round for the 18th time. One more win — next against Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin — would move him to second on the all-time Wimbledon match wins list, behind only the Czech-American great Martina Navratilova's 120.

The broader stakes at this year's Wimbledon are considerable. Djokovic is four victories away from a record 25th Grand Slam title and from becoming the oldest player in the professional era to win a singles major. "To make history on this court is a huge honour and privilege," he said, while tempering expectations: "At this age and stage in my career, every day brings something new and unpredictable for me." His round-two demolition of Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas had already underlined that, despite his age, Djokovic remains a formidable force on grass — and that the road through him at SW19 remains as difficult as ever.