Novak Djokovic faced a challenging match at Wimbledon against Alexei Popyrin in the third round, but he managed to win in four sets.

The world No 2 defeated Popyrin 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) in three hours and five minutes on Centre Court at the All England Club. Djokovic lost the first set against the world No 47, but he managed to win without losing his serve again in the match to advance to the last 16.

The 37-year-old is trying to win his eighth Wimbledon men’s singles title, which would tie the record for the most wins in the tournament’s history.

His recent victory against Popyrin was his 373rd Grand Slam match win and his 50th since he turned 35. Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer are the only other players who have achieved 50 wins at Majors after turning 35, with 64 and 62 wins respectively.

Djokovic will face world No 15 Holger Rune in the fourth round, who managed to beat Quentin Halys in the third round after a tough match.

The 21-year-old Dane made a comeback after being two sets down to win against world No 220 Halys with a score of 1-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-1.

In his post-match interview after defeating Popyrin, Djokovic mentioned, “It was another challenging match, I knew Alexei would bring his best game today.

” Djokovic acknowledged Popyrin’s confidence and self-belief, especially after their close match in Australia earlier this year. Djokovic recognized Popyrin’s strong serve and forehand, making him a threat on any surface.

Djokovic observed Popyrin’s good form in the first few rounds and anticipated that he would come into the match with a winning mentality. Popyrin started strong and outperformed Djokovic in the first set, but Djokovic raised his game to secure the win.

“I believe I performed well in the second and third sets, but the fourth set could have gone either way. He served exceptionally well, with great precision and speed. It was challenging to anticipate his serves in the fourth set.”

I had a few chances to break at 5-all, but I was only in one rally. Besides that, he was serving well. It was a tough match today, mentally challenging to stay focused.

I made sure not to lose concentration and it showed in the tiebreak, which was one of my best this year. I feel like I am improving with each match, especially in my movement and confidence. I am getting better at reaching for difficult shots and sliding on the court.

“I felt better in the third round match compared to the second round. I hope to continue improving as the tournament goes on. With each match, I expect to feel even better.Let’s wait and see what happens in the next one.”