LONDON — Novak Djokovic added another men’s tennis record to his name on Thursday, when he reached Wimbledon’s third round for a 19th time.
The straight-sets victory — 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 over British player Dan Evans on Centre Court — was Djokovic’s 99th match win overall in the grass-court Grand Slam tournament, and the 19 third-round appearances at the All England Club put him one ahead of Roger Federer for most by any man in the Open Era, which began in 1968 as professionals began competing alongside amateurs in the majors.
It’s hardly the most prestigious record for Djokovic, whose 24 Grand Slam singles titles (including seven at Wimbledon) are the most by a male player. He could at least use it to poke fun at his new, and much younger, main rivals.
“Nineteen times, that’s a great stat,” the 38-year-old Serbian star said. “That’s probably almost as much as Sinner and Alcaraz have years in their lives.”
Well, not quite.
