Wimbledon 2026 Day 7 (Sunday, July 5) Preview and Order of Play: Dad Dancing
The pristine lawns of the All England Club make way for high-stakes drama on Sunday, July 5, 2026, as Wimbledon officially enters its second week. Moving into the fourth round, there is no more room for hesitation; the remaining contenders are now just a few victories away from tasting Grand Slam glory.
Day 7 features an absolutely glittering lineup. We will see the sport’s greatest legends celebrating family moments on the biggest stage, a blockbuster battle of tennis heavyweights that combines immense power with unique style, and a charming under-dog looking to pull off a monumental distraction. Here is your comprehensive guide to the five big stories and the official order of play for Day 7 at SW19.
The Schedule on the Main Show Courts
Centre Court (From 1:30 PM BST)
- Roman Safiullin vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB) [7]
- Aryna Sabalenka [1] vs. Naomi Osaka (JPN) [14]
- Jannik Sinner (ITA) [1] vs. Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN)
Centre Court Time Zone Conversion Table
| Match / Event | UK Time (BST) | Eastern (EDT) | Central (CDT) | Mountain (MDT) | Pacific (PDT) |
| Match 1: R. Safiullin vs. N. Djokovic [7] | 1:30 PM | 8:30 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:30 AM | 5:30 AM |
| Match 2: A. Sabalenka [1] vs. N. Osaka [14] | Followed by* | Followed by | Followed by | Followed by | Followed by |
| Match 3: J. Sinner [1] vs. S. Mochizuki | Followed by* | Followed by | Followed by | Followed by | Followed by |
*Note: Match 2 and Match 3 will begin immediately after the preceding match concludes. Exact start times depend entirely on play duration.
No. 1 Court (From 1:00 PM BST)
- Jessica Pegula (USA) [4] vs. Iva Jovic (USA) [16]
- Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) [3] vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) [22]
- Belinda Bencic (SUI) [11] vs. Coco Gauff (USA) [7]
No. 2 Court (From 11:00 AM BST)
- H. Heliovaara (FIN) / H. Patten (GBR) [1] vs. A. Pavlasek / P. Rikl (CZE) (Gentlemen’s Doubles R3)
- Karolina Muchova (CZE) [10] vs. Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)
- Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs. Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
=> Full order of play for Day 7
Five Things to Watch on Day 7
1. Dad Dancing on Centre Court: Djokovic’s Family Routine
We have all seen it happen at weddings or family gatherings: the music starts, Dad hits the dance floor, and the children instantly cringe. However, very few kids have had to watch their dad dance on Centre Court in front of thousands of fans and live television cameras. Eight-year-old Tara Djokovic is the exception—in fact, she is the one behind the routine.
After Novak Djokovic battled past Arthur Rinderknech on Friday to seal his spot in the fourth round, he turned toward his player box and threw some shapes for his daughter. Tara joined in a little shyly, following the exact choreography she had taught him.
“She showed me a couple of dances from this teenage pop group and whatnot,” a proud Djokovic laughed later. “So we try to work on the choreography. I mean, can’t wait to go back home and ask her how I’ve done. Judging by her expression, it wasn’t really super great.”
On Sunday, Tara will be watching closely again as Djokovic faces the resilient Roman Safiullin. Djokovic is chasing a historic milestone as he attempts to reach his 17th Wimbledon quarterfinal and his 66th Grand Slam quarterfinal overall.
2. Diamonds vs. Frocks: Sabalenka and Osaka Clash Again
As the tournament moves into week two, the stakes are rising exponentially. For the fourth time this season, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will take on Naomi Osaka in a match that promises pure, explosive power. Both athletes hit the ball with terrifying force, and neither is willing to give an inch from the baseline.
While Sabalenka has won every encounter between them so far this year, Osaka is feeling far more comfortable on the grass than ever before. “I understand grass-court tennis a lot more,” Osaka noted. “I think when I was younger, I was a little bit more stubborn on how I wanted to play on this surface, but I realize it’s a lot more free-flowing.”
Away from the baseline exchanges, Osaka is comfortably winning the fashion stakes this fortnight. Her striking walk-on outfits have evolved from a beautiful custom kimono to a high-fashion bomber jacket with a long train, and most recently, a dramatic cloak styled like an open kimono. Sabalenka, meanwhile, has chosen a more understated wardrobe, accessorizing her pristine whites with luxury jewelry. The top seed is sporting over 60 carats of stunning diamonds and emeralds across her necklace and earrings. It is an ultimate clash of diamonds versus frocks, with a solitary spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
3. Shintaro Seeks to Distract the “Celebrity” Sinner
On paper, the final match on Centre Court looks heavily one-sided. Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki is ranked No. 151 in the world and arrived at Wimbledon with a tough 0-6 win-loss record in Tour-level matches this year. Now, after a magical run through the qualifying draw, he must face world No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner.
However, Mochizuki is an incredibly cheerful soul who is taking his dream run completely in stride. He reached the fourth round by pulling off a stunning upset against 19-year-old Spanish prodigy Rafael Jodar on Friday.
“I was not winning much before coming here, and I don’t know how I have been winning matches here,” Mochizuki admitted with wonderful honesty. “I play unique. I hit balls more flat and come into the net more than the other guys… But for me, that’s not the way I think.”
When asked about his upcoming opponent, Mochizuki admitted he doesn’t know Sinner personally and views him as a true “celebrity.” As for his game plan to tackle the top seed? “I just want to do whatever I can to, let’s say, distract him because just by hitting tennis balls, I don’t think I can beat him at all.”
4. Felix’s Close Shave is Bringing Good Luck
Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime is settling into the tournament at the exact same pace as his new haircut. Upon arriving at SW19, the Canadian visited the onsite tournament barbershop for a quick trim. While sitting in the chair, he read a sign explaining that the grass on every single match court is cut to an exact height of 8mm. Getting fully into the Wimbledon spirit, Felix decided to have his hair buzzed to that exact same length.
“They put the same setting on my hair,” Auger-Aliassime smiled. “But it grew back quite fast actually, so it’s okay now. I like my hair cut and it’s been good luck to me, so I hope it keeps going.”
It has taken far more than just luck to guide him into the fourth round without dropping a single set. The Canadian looks incredibly sharp on the grass this summer. On Sunday, he will face the unpredictable 22nd seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Court 1, aiming to book his ticket to a second career Wimbledon quarterfinal.
5. Coco Gauff Navigates Family Draft Commotions
Every professional athlete needs an ego-boosting pep talk from time to time to keep their confidence high, but Coco Gauff is still playfully waiting for hers. Her brother, Codey Gauff, is a rising baseball star who recently participated in the MLB Draft Combine. While there, Codey gave a media interview where he highly praised his older sister’s supreme talent and tireless work ethic.
Coco, however, reacted with classic sibling humor when she read the comments. “Sometimes I get annoyed because it’s like, ‘you don’t have to bring me up all the time’,” Gauff joked. “I have nothing to do with his baseball.”
“I’m not going to lie. My brother’s not the most expressive person,” Coco added. “He was saying like he really looks up to me a lot and watches my work ethic… I never heard him say that to my face, which he probably never will.”
Family banter aside, the seventh seed is doing perfectly well on her own. She has displayed immense grit by battling through consecutive three-setters in her previous rounds, and she expects another physical marathon on Court 1 against 11th seed Belinda Bencic.