Reigning champion Novak Djokovic progressed to the fourth round at Wimbledon on Friday, defeating Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 on Centre Court, while John Isner became the ATP Tour’s ace king.

Djokovic, a six-time Wimbledon champion, has won the last three men’s singles titles at the All England Club in London, extending his winning streak to 24 matches after losing in the quarterfinals in 2017.

The top-seeded Serbian will tackle Tim van Rijthoven of the Netherlands after this.

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“Before the tournament started, it was a dream for me to play him, basically. So to be able to have that chance, and to maybe even play on Centre Court or Court 1, is beautiful and magical,” van Rijthoven remarked after defeating No. 22 Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 on Court 12, which has a seating capacity of 1,736, to become the first wild-card entry to reach the round of 16 at Wimbledon since 2015.

“I go into every match thinking I can win the match,” Van Rijthoven’s baseline-based strategy had earlier eliminated No. 15 Reilly Opelka. “Also, against Djokovic, I’ll go into that match thinking I can win that match.”

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Until June, van Rijthoven, who donned a backward ballcap, had never won a match on the ATP Tour. He hasn’t lost a match since, going 8-0, including a win over current No. 1 Daniil Medvedev to win the trophy at a grass-court tournament in the Netherlands.

“It’s been a long one. I’ve had my ups and downs, injuries here and there. Also struggled mentally,” Van Rijthoven’s health difficulties included wrist surgery, an operation on a vein in his right arm due to thrombosis, and nine months mending from “golfer’s elbow,” which he developed while playing tennis. “I’m just happy to be in the place I am right now. I hope to be there for a couple more years — or a lot more years, actually.”

Most people don’t know who he is, but Djokovic does. This is due in part to Djokovic’s friendship with van Rijthoven’s coach, Igor Sijsling. And partly because he has been watching the guy.

So Djokovic sent a scouting report.

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“His game, from what I’ve seen, is quite suitable to this surface,” Djokovic stated. “His big serve, one-handed backhand, uses the slice well. He’s an all-around player. He can play fast. He can also stay in the rally and come to the net. I’m sure he’s excited to play on a big stage. He doesn’t have much to lose. He’s on his dream run. He’s a young player that is just starting, so I’m sure his career will be very good.”

Isner broke Croatian Ivo Karlovic’s ATP Tour record with ace No. 13,729 during his third-round encounter on Friday. On No. 2 Court, Isner set the record during the third game versus Jannik Sinner.

According to the ATP, this is the most since the tour started monitoring aces in 1991.

Isner blasted 24 aces to extend his total to 13,748 but fell to Sinner 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Meanwhile, fellow Americans Jack Sock, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe all advanced on Friday. With a 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (1) triumph over compatriot Maxime Cressy, Sock became the seventh American man to reach the third round at Wimbledon, while Tiafoe reached the fourth round for the first time with a 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory against Alexander Bublik. Jiri Vesely was defeated 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 by Paul.

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Eight American men make up a quarter of the 32 participants in the third round, the highest for the US at a grass-court Grand Slam tournament since 1995. It’s also the most at any major since the US Open in 1996.

In response to the success, Tiafoe praised the American contingent as “damn good.”

“We’re playing great tennis,” Tiafoe stated. “I think we always feed off each other. We all believe it, all believe we can be even doing better than what we are doing currently. One guy does well, next guy wants to step up.”

Sock, 29, is a three-time Grand Slam doubles champion, with two of those victories coming at Wimbledon. He’ll meet fellow qualifier Jason Kubler of Australia next.

Tiafoe, seeded 23rd, will face David Goffin in the quarterfinals after defeating Ugo Humbert 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 7-5. The 24-year-old Tiafoe’s finest Grand Slam performance was reaching the quarterfinals of the 2019 Australian Open.

No. 5 Carlos Alcaraz also advanced, defeating No. 32 Oscar Otte 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, and will face Sinner next.