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Wimbledon 2026: Djokovic, Swiatek, Osaka and Rybakina reach the Round of 16

Novak Djokovic surived a fourth-set wobble to reach the last 16 on Friday; Naomi Osaka advanced to the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time, while Swiatek and Rybakina continued their dominant grass form

Sports· active How Life Changes ·6 takes ·
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Summary

The 2026 Wimbledon Championships reached the Round of 16 on July 3-4, with the top seeds largely intact. Novak Djokovic defeated France's Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 on Centre Court, advancing to his 17th Wimbledon fourth round; the third set exposed a wobble in Djokovic's serve that Rinderknech briefly exploited before the 39-year-old Serb steadied to take the tie-break. Naomi Osaka dismissed Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3, reaching the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time in her career on any surface after years of injury disruption. World No. 3 Iga Swiatek beat former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-3, and Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion, beat Caty McNally 6-1, 6-2. Roman Safiullin produced the biggest men's upset, dismissing No. 24 Joao Fonseca 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz all advanced in straight sets.

The split

English tennis coverage focuses on the native hopes, with Jack Draper's withdrawal through injury before his second-round match casting a shadow; the UK press has been effusive about the welcome given to Serena Williams's appearance on the opening weekend. Japanese coverage treats Osaka's R4 as a career-rehabilitation story following two surgeries; the Australian press is closely tracking de Minaur. European outlets foreground Zverev's status as the chief rival to Djokovic in a draw lacking Jannik Sinner, whose withdrawal through a shoulder injury before the first round removed the year's dominant player. Serbian media covers Djokovic with the intensity of a national event, noting his quest for a 25th Grand Slam title.

By the numbers

  • 17th: Djokovic's Wimbledon fourth-round appearances (most in men's singles history)
  • 6-1, 6-3: Swiatek and Rybakina's respective straight-set scorelines, reflecting their dominance
  • First time: Osaka reaching the R4 at Wimbledon in her career
  • 7-6 (tiebreak): Djokovic needed to close out Rinderknech; the third-set loss was his first set dropped this tournament

What to watch

  • Djokovic's fourth-round match: likely No. 9 Bublik or No. 10 Cobolli
  • Osaka's fourth-round clash, her first Wimbledon R4 test
  • Whether Zverev's wrist, which he taped after the Blockx match, causes any disruption in the second week
  • Swiatek against a potential Bencic fourth-round opponent: their head-to-head on grass has historically been close

The briefing, by email