Djokovic looks to move step closer to history as Sabalenka & Sinner also headline

[p]Defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Jannik Sinner[/a] is also in action in the last 32, while women's world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] faces former French Open winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ostapenko-jelena/Gloq9MUN/"]Jelena Ostapenko[/a].[/p][p]AFP Sport looks at three matches to watch on the fifth day of the tournament (x denotes seeding):[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/djokovic-n-AZg49Et9/rinderknech-a-pIxZZsof/?mid=z3uan9vq"]Novak Djokovic (SRB) v Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)[/a][/h2][p][b]First meeting[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Djokovic[/a] was in vintage form during his second-round demolition of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsitsipas-stefanos/hb6oWfc6/"]Stefanos Tsitsipas[/a] on Wednesday, underlining his determination to finally win that elusive 25th Grand Slam crown.[/p][p]The 39-year-old Serb delivered a statement of intent to his Wimbledon title rivals with a masterful straight-sets victory on Centre Court.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]The seven-time Wimbledon champion's good mood was understandable.[/p][p]Djokovic, seeded seventh, is now just one match win away from equalling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/federer-roger/GrsQDFC0/"]Roger Federer[/a]'s Wimbledon men's singles record of 105.[/p][p]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 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/navarro-margaret/MDqt4qiS/"]Margaret Court[/a] for the most Grand Slam crowns by either a man or woman.[/p][p]Winning Wimbledon would also make Djokovic the oldest man to lift a Grand Slam trophy in the Open era.[/p][p]As Djokovic said after beating Tsitsipas; "age is just a number".[/p][p]Next up for the ageless Serb is a first ever meeting with French 25th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rinderknech-arthur/pIxZZsof/"]Arthur Rinderknech[/a].[/p][infobox id="e4d8200d-597f-48d7-83c2-d394f1217426" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/ostapenko-j-Gloq9MUN/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/?mid=2ildgUqS"]Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) v Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)[/a][/h2][p]Sabalenka leads head to head 3-1[/p][p]Bidding to win Wimbledon for the first time, Sabalenka faces a tricky test against Ostapenko in one of the ties of the round.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]The 28-year-old has never won Wimbledon, losing in the semi-finals on each of her past three visits.[/p][image alt="Sabalenka vs Osapenka head-to-head" id="970a6417-ceff-49c7-8160-7ab41c4d74f4" credit-line="Enetpulse" guid="f17e9db2-3b96-462a-a651-90e568b44861" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]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.[/p][p]That makes 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko an intriguing obstacle for Sabalenka to hurdle.[/p][p]The 29-year-old reached the Wimbledon semi-finals eight years ago and is capable of rattling Sabalenka with her booming ground-strokes.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]Perhaps the Belarusian will get a more sympathetic response if she wins the title on July 11.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/brooksby-j-MoOtVkbN/sinner-j-6HdC3z4H/?mid=GAzHKLTk"]Jannik Sinner (ITA x1) v Jenson Brooksby (USA)[/a][/h2][p]Sinner leads head to head 1-0[/p][p]Sinner ended [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Carlos Alcaraz[/a]'s two-year reign as Wimbledon champion with a brilliant final victory over the Spaniard last year.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]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 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kecmanovic-miomir/MTQ5CPOR/"]Miomir Kecmanovic[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/borges-nuno/hzbEPIOa/"]Nuno Borges[/a].[/p][p]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 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cerundolo-juan-manuel/A93TM7BR/"]Juan Manuel Cerundolo[/a] in June.[/p][p]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.[/p][p][b]"I feel like the grass here, it is a little bit different than anywhere else you play apart from Queen's,"[/b] he said.[/p][p]"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."[/p]