Novak Djokovic recovers from poor third set to continue Wimbledon title bid
By George Sessions, Press Association
Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic safely progressed into the fourth round but only after he narrowly avoided being served a bagel during a hard-fought win over 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech.
Djokovic suffered a shock exit in the last 32 of the French Open last month, and while he prevented a repeat at the All England Club on Friday afternoon, a 7-5 6-4 1-6 7-6 (4) victory only told half the story for the 24-time grand slam singles winner.
Frenchman Rinderknech had been two points away from dishing out the 13th 6-0 score of Djokovic’s career during an extraordinary 18-minute third set on Centre Court, but the 39-year-old avoided that unwanted feat and regrouped in set four to go through.
Seventh seed Djokovic would have expected to face his Roland Garros conqueror and highly rated 19-year-old Joao Fonseca next, but he was outfoxed by Roman Safiullin earlier in the day.
Qualifier Safiullin produced 41 winners during a dominant display, but has lost all three previous meetings with Djokovic.
This was Djokovic’s 105th singles win at Wimbledon, which brought him level with Roger Federer, and he said: “I propose a match-up between me and Roger for 106. Let’s just stop it here and call Roger to come!
“It was a really tight, really close match and happy to overcome it. Sometimes you just have to find a way to win and I did that.”
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Djokovic had eased past Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round, but joked it would be nice to play outdoors following two evening slots under the Centre Court roof.
He got his wish on day five in front of a crowd that included Usain Bolt, but a first break to go 3-2 up was followed by a slip, which enabled Rinderknech to immediately hit back.
A tie-break looked on the cards until Djokovic managed to break the resistance of his opponent in the 11th game before two volleys, the first after a textbook dive, secured the first set in 49 minutes.
Rinderknech failed to make the most of a break point chance early in the second set after an excellent winner down the line by Djokovic, who grabbed the initiative to take control with a smash volley.
Two set points were saved by Rinderknech to force Djokovic to serve out, but a 125mph ace moved the Serbian one set away from the last 16.
With Rinderknech staring down the barrel and after a quick bolt off court, the world number 28 started to play with freedom and a deft drop shot earned a break at the start of the fourth.
The 30-year-old from France was momentarily on course to sweep the set but at 30-30, Rinderknech could not force a third break.
Set three still went to Rinderknech in rapid fashion before Djokovic regrouped and a wonderful slice suggested the king of Centre Court had rediscovered his groove.
It failed to knock the belief of the popular Rinderknech, who delighted spectators with one return on the floor after he slipped.
However, Rinderknech tumbled out of Wimbledon after Djokovic clinched the tie-break with both men sprawled on the grass after drop shots to triumph from the three-hour-and-one-minute battle.
