Novak Djokovic received what Annabel Croft described as "bad news" immediately after his Wimbledon victory over Arthur Rinderknech. The Serbian star won 7-5, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) to secure his 105th singles win at the All England Club, equalling Roger Federer's record for men's singles victories at the tournament.
Croft, interviewing Djokovic on court, pointed out that while he had matched Federer, the all-time record holder Martina Navratilova had 120 wins. She asked Djokovic if he could achieve 15 more wins at Wimbledon to surpass that mark.
Djokovic's Reaction to the Record
Djokovic responded: "I'm sure there's going to be someone else after 120. Obviously to be able to make history in this sport is a huge honour and particularly here. This has always been a dream childhood tournament of mine." He added that he focuses on winning each match rather than counting victories. "I am not thinking about whether it is going to be 104, 105 or 106, I am just trying to win that match on a given day. Today I was quite stressed out."
The 39-year-old admitted he felt more tension than usual, knowing the match would be challenging. "I am just happy to overcome this," he said.
Match Analysis and Opponent Praise
Reflecting on the match, Djokovic said: "It took a bit of luck and a bit of skill in the end. It was a pretty much flawless tie-break from my side of things." He praised his serve but noted struggles in the tie-break, attributing it to Rinderknech's quality. "He is very tall, he hits incredible serves and he deserves a round of applause for his performance, no doubt."
Djokovic also highlighted that he had never faced Rinderknech before and acknowledged the Frenchman's comfort on big stages, referencing his victory over Alexander Zverev on Centre Court in 2025. "He clearly loves the big stage and he doesn't get overwhelmed by the occasion. He showed that today."
Looking Ahead
Djokovic concluded: "It was a really tiring and really close match, but I'm happy to overcome it in the tie-break. Sometimes you just have to find a way to win, and I'm happy I did that today." With the win, Djokovic advances to the second round at Wimbledon, continuing his pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.
