Novak Djokovic Eyes Wimbledon Last 16 As John Isner Targets Aces Record

Novak Djokovic faces fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic for a place in the Wimbledon last 16 on Friday as John Isner targets becoming the sport's king of aces. Kecmanovic, 22, has lost both his previous two meetings against the man he describes as his "idol". However, with 2002 Wimbledon runner-up David Nalbandian in his coaching team, he is enjoying a breakout season. Kecmanovic enjoyed career-best runs to the last 16 at the Australian Open and third round at Roland Garros. He has also broken into the top 30 for the first time.

Djokovic, bidding to join Pete Sampras as a seven-time Wimbledon champion, is in the third round at the All England Club for the 16th time.

Second-round victim Thanasi Kokkinakis took just seven games off the 35-year-old.

"I got chopped," was the Australian's frank summary.

Ace king

Isner may be 37 but his power on a grass-court remains undiminished.

The giant American has unleashed 90 aces in two rounds so far, including 36 in his defeat of two-time champion Andy Murray in the second round.

Isner, a semi-finalist in 2018, has 13,724 career aces to sit just four behind the all-time record held by Ivo Karlovic.

He faces Italian 10th seed Jannik Sinner for a place in the fourth round.

"It's not going to put me in the Hall of Fame or anything like that, because that's not me," said Isner.

"But I will be the all-time leader. I'll keep playing, keep adding to my total. I don't know if it will get broken. I could be up there for a long time."

At the other end of the age scale, Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz targets the last 16 for the first time when he faces Germany's Oscar Otte.

Alcaraz needed five sets to see off Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round before sweeping past Tallan Griekspoor to make the