Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic defeats Arthur Rinderknech in four sets on Centre Court to reach the round of 16 at Wimbledon 2026

Novak Djokovic’s bid for a stand-alone 25th Grand Slam title in the sport is gathering pace following a four-set victory over an inspired Arthur Rinderknech.

The Serb backed up his imperious triumph over Stefanos Tsitsipas by despatching the French 25th seed by a 7-5 6-4 1-6 7-6 scoreline in three hours and one minute on Centre Court.

Djokovic conjured up a superb lob to break for a 3-2 lead, but was immediately pegged back as Rinderknech deployed a supreme drop shot to unsettle the Serb.

The seven-time champion dug out a hold from 30-30 at 5-5, and it proved significant as the 39-year-old broke in the ensuing game before a sensational dive-volley paved the way for him to serve out a 48-minute opener.

The seventh seed saved a break point early in the second stanza before quickly backing up his own break to lead 3-1.

The 24-time Major winner did not look back from there as he served his way into a two-set lead with an ace.

Rinderknech cut a frustrated figure, but returned from a comfort break to suddenly blitz his way through the third set for the loss of one game.

It was totally out of context in the grand scheme of the match, and the fourth set was much closer, with both players taking care on serve until Djokovic pulled clear to take a tie-break 7-4 and set up a round of 16 clash with qualifier Roman Safiullin.

The seven-time champion prevails!

Rinderknech blinks first in a tight breaker with a forehand into the alley.

Djokovic gets a look at two match points and delivers on the first of them to take the breaker 7-4 with both men diving into shots at the net in a thrilling finale to a fabulous contest.

It's finely poised with nothing between them at the change of ends.

Can Djokovic get a tricky job done or will the French underdog push this to a decider?

Arthur lands an ace and then digs out a volley from his shoe-laces to surge through a clean hold and force the breaker.

Djokovic is frustrated when Rinderknech’s backhand clips the tape and bobbles over for a winner.

However, the Serb sees the funny side when a similar shot of his own does exactly the same and he pauses to look to the sky as if to thank the tennis Gods for the share of the fortune.

The seventh seed gives himself work to do with a poor choice of shot to trail 15-30 but he recovers with the aid of an ace and guarantees himself the minimum of a breaker when Arthur’s pass flies long.

The Rinderknech drop shot has done so much damage in this match.

The Frenchman throws in another one from deep before darting to his right to seize upon the re-drop and glide away an acute-angled winner.

It’s the pick of his points as he surges to a love hold to tie the set at five apiece.

Djokovic powers down his 11th ace of the match and is relieved to see Rinderknech lob a pass long after the Serb had guessed wrong at the net.

The seven-time champion dumps a 1-2 forehand punch into the net to give Arthur a glimmer at 40-30 but slams the door shut with a slither of luck along the way.

What a hold!

Djokovic drifts a backhand long after a wonderful all-court point saw Arthur track down a dropper, retrieve a lob and somehow claw his way through.

The Frenchman soaks up the roar from the crowd and he’s earned it after battling back from 15-30 down.

Rinderknech zaps a stunning forehand return winner down the line to earn a collective gasp of delight from Centre Court.

Djokovic is also impressed but he has the last laugh as the seventh seed cranks up the heat on the board with a hold to 15.

There is real belief from Rinderknech.

He thinks he can win this match and races through another comfortable love service game to remain firmly in the hunt.

There’s frustration for Rinderknech as he slips at a key juncture at 15-30. The 25th seed somehow claws the ball back from the floor but can do little beyond that as Djokovic flashes a forehand winner beyond him.

The Serb comes up clutch with a pair of big serves and knows he did well to get out of dodge there.

Rinderknech does the heavy-lifting with some excellent first serves and quickly levels with a hold to love.

That third-set lapse is very much in the past for Djokovic now as he romps through a clean hold to keep pushing the board early in the fourth.

Rinderknech makes life difficult for himself trying to be too cute from 40-0 up and a drop shot from deep that’s difficult to execute drifts into the net to pique Nole’s interest.

The Frenchman feels the heat on serve for the first time in a while as a result, but Novak drifts a second serve return off the island to allow his opponent to get on the board.

It’s a swing and a miss from Rinderknech as leans towards a serve down the T but times the swish of his backhand all wrong.

It concludes a hold to 15 for Djokovic who will no doubt be a different proposition in this fourth set.

Did someone order a late afternoon breadstick?

It looks like the Frenchman did as he races through a love hold to serve out the third with aplomb and take us into a fourth.

Djokovic avoids the bagel as he finds the first serve again after a a lovely dropshot-volley combo had helped him hit back from 0-30 down.

Rinderknech will now serve to take us into a fourth set.

It’s looking like this will go four!

Rinderknech rolls through a clean hold to back up the double break and leave Novak serving to avoid a third-set bagel!

Wow - no-one saw this coming.

Rinderknech licks the baseline on numerous occasions to unlock a below-par Nole and force a backhand way off the island.

It sees the 25th seed convert on break point to claim the insurance after the seven-time champion had double faulted to open the door.