Djokovic has history in his sights at Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic can move another step closer to history at Wimbledon in the third round on Friday.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner is also in action in the last 32, while women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka faces former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko.

AFP Sport looks at three matches to watch on the fifth day of the tournament (x denotes seeding):

Novak Djokovic (SRB x7) v Arthur Rinderknech (FRA x25)

First meeting

-- Djokovic was in vintage form during his second-round demolition of Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday, underlining his determination to finally win that elusive 25th Grand Slam crown.

The 39-year-old Serb delivered a statement of intent to his Wimbledon title rivals with a masterful straight-sets victory on Centre Court.

Djokovic was so enamoured with his display that he even found time to prank a ball-girl -- pretending her repair work on his shirt had hurt him -- before jokingly challenging golf star Rory McIlroy, who was watching from the royal box, to a tennis match.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion's good mood was understandable.

Djokovic, seeded seventh, is now just one match win away from equalling Roger Federer's Wimbledon men's singles record of 105.

But Djokovic has greater goals in his sights, aiming to equal Federer's men's record of eight Wimbledon titles -- which would break his tie with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam crowns by either a man or woman.

Winning Wimbledon would also make Djokovic the oldest man to lift a Grand Slam trophy in the Open era.

As Djokovic said after beating Tsitsipas; "age is just a number".

Next up for the ageless Serb is a first ever meeting with French 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech.

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x1) v Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)

Sabalenka leads head to head 3-1

-- Bidding to win Wimbledon for the first time, Sabalenka faces a tricky test against Ostapenko in one of the ties of the round.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, who has reached 14 successive major quarter-finals, has not been at her over-powering best so far in the tournament.

The 28-year-old has never won Wimbledon, losing in the semi-finals on each of her past three visits.

And while Sabalenka's presence in the latter stages of the majors has become a given, she has won only one of the last six Grand Slam tournaments.

That makes 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko an intriguing obstacle for Sabalenka to hurdle.

The 29-year-old reached the Wimbledon semi-finals eight years ago and is capable of rattling Sabalenka with her booming ground-strokes.

Sabalenka has pleaded with Wimbledon chiefs to let her dog Ash into the grounds of the All England Club, but her pet protest has so far fallen on deaf ears.

Perhaps the Belarusian will get a more sympathetic response if she wins the title on July 11.

Jannik Sinner (ITA x1) v Jenson Brooksby (USA)

Sinner leads head to head 1-0

-- Sinner ended Carlos Alcaraz's two-year reign as Wimbledon champion with a brilliant final victory over the Spaniard last year.

The four-time Grand Slam champion is still some way from those lofty heights heading into his third round tie against American world number 81 Jenson Brooksby.

Having opted not to play a Wimbledon warm-up event for the first time in his career, Sinner looked a little underprepared in his first and second round wins over Miomir Kecmanovic and Nuno Borges.

The world number one hasn't reached a Grand Slam final this year and blew a two-set lead in a shock French Open second-round defeat against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in June.

Asked if was suffering because of his lack of time on grass this year, Sinner said he will play at Queen's Club ahead of Wimbledon in 2027.

"I feel like the grass here, it is a little bit different than anywhere else you play apart from Queen's," he said.

"Again, the first couple of matches, I know that they are always tough. Now I'm past them. Let's see what's coming next."

smg/jc

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