Djokovic breaks Federer’s Wimbledon record after a tough battle and reaches the quarterfinals
LONDON — Novak Djokovic advanced on July 5, 2026, to the Wimbledon quarterfinals after a demanding victory over Roman Safiullin 7:6 (8:6), 6:3, 3:6, 6:3, in a match that also brought the seven-time champion one of the greatest statistical achievements of his career on grass. According to results published on the official website of Djokovic’s team, the fourth-round duel was played against the Russian qualifier, currently the 132nd player in the rankings, and ended after four sets in which the Serbian tennis player had to go through several pronounced lapses in concentration. BeIN Sports reported that it was Djokovic’s 106th victory in singles matches at Wimbledon, which put him ahead of Roger Federer, who remained on 105 victories on the men’s list. With that, the 39-year-old Djokovic took first place among male tennis players by number of singles victories at the All England Club in the Open Era, while in the overall ranking of singles victories at the tournament Martina Navratilova remains ahead of him with 120 victories.
The victory was not routine, although the final score suggests control for most of the encounter. Djokovic was in serious trouble in the first set, at one point trailing 2:5 and having to save set points, but he avoided the early loss of the set and used his third set point in the tie-break. In the second set his game became more stable, his serve more effective, and the pressure on Safiullin’s second serve increasingly pronounced. The third set, however, again raised the question of energy and patience, because the Russian tennis player, despite medical assistance due to a hip problem, raised his level of aggression and forced Djokovic into a series of reactions that showed how psychologically demanding the match was.
Frustrations, apology and return of control
After the encounter, Djokovic admitted that he had moments of nervousness and that he was not satisfied with his own behavior in certain phases of the match, according to available reports from the court. During the third set, he visibly reacted to the playing conditions, to his own mistakes and to the rhythm Safiullin imposed on him with deep shots from the baseline. BeIN Sports states that the crowd expressed displeasure after Djokovic at one point forcefully sent a spare ball toward the opposite side of the court, which fit into a period of the encounter in which the Serbian tennis player was losing tactical clarity. After the match, he said that he experienced part of the day as a fight for survival, and then as an attempt to find an upswing in his game again.
Such scenes were not unusual for matches in which Djokovic has to find a way out of a scoring and emotional crisis, but in this case they carried special weight because of the historical context. Every victory at Wimbledon now distances him further from Federer on the list of men’s singles victories, but at the same time increases expectations that he can reach another major title. In the fourth set he showed why he is still among the most dangerous players on grass: he saved early danger, immediately then broke Safiullin’s serve and in the closing stages used a combination of precise first serving, approaches to the net and changes of rhythm. He converted his first match point with a move at the net, rounding off an encounter in which he did not shine the entire time, but again played the key moments better than his opponent.
Safiullin arrived as a qualifier, but not as a random challenger
Roman Safiullin entered the fourth round with one of the more notable runs of this year’s Wimbledon. ATP Tour reported that the 28-year-old Russian had been without a win at ATP level in 2026 before the tournament, but after coming through qualifying he strung together three victories in the main draw. In the first round he saved two match points against Andrey Rublev, then defeated Botic van de Zandschulp in five sets, and in the third round beat Joao Fonseca 6:3, 6:3, 6:3. ATP later reported that Safiullin emotionally broke down in an on-court conversation, speaking about the injury that forced him to end his season after the 2025 US Open and left him unsure whether he would be able to return to this level.
That path to the fourth round explains why Djokovic’s job on Centre Court could not be simple. Safiullin already played the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2023, and his style on grass can be dangerous because he combines early contact with the ball, flat shots and a readiness to take the initiative before the opponent settles into defense. Against Djokovic, in the first set he took advantage of the favorite’s slower entry into the match and led 5:2, but he failed to close out the set and make use of the psychological advantage. That unused moment remained one of the key points of the encounter, because from then on Djokovic gradually restored balance, even when his game was not completely clean.
In the third set, Safiullin nevertheless proved that it was not only short-lived resistance. According to BeIN Sports’ report, after medical assistance for a possible hip problem he managed to break Djokovic’s serve again in a dramatic game in which he saved several break points. He won that set 6:3 and forced the seven-time champion to look for calm again in the fourth set. But as soon as Djokovic survived the danger at the beginning of the fourth set, the balance of power changed. Safiullin no longer chose his shots with the same precision, and Djokovic, through experience and better reading of the game, managed to lock down the finish.
A record that changes the Wimbledon hierarchy
Djokovic’s 106 victories at Wimbledon carry special symbolism because they come at a tournament that was long associated with Federer’s dominance. Federer won Wimbledon eight times and remains the record holder for the number of men’s singles titles at the All England Club, while Djokovic has seven titles, won in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022, according to an ATP Tour overview. Ahead of this year’s tournament, Djokovic had a 102:13 record at Wimbledon, and with victories over Wu Yibing, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Arthur Rinderknech and Safiullin he reached his 106th victory. With that, he first equaled Federer’s 105 victories in the third round, and then surpassed them in the fourth round.
After Djokovic’s victory over Rinderknech, the Associated Press reported that the Serbian tennis player described equaling Federer as a great honor and privilege, adding jokingly that he would suggest a match with Federer for number 106. Two days later, that number arrived on the court against Safiullin, without a direct duel with the former great rival, but in circumstances that again recalled their long-standing intertwining in Wimbledon history. Federer left the most recognizable mark on London’s grass through the number of titles, while Djokovic now holds the leading position in the men’s competition by number of singles victories. Their numbers together show how long the era lasted of players who made Wimbledon the central place of discussions about the greatest in tennis history.
This record is also important because Djokovic, at the age of 39, is competing not only as a symbol of a past generation, but as an active title contender. ATP states in its biographical data that Djokovic is the men’s tennis record holder with 24 Grand Slam titles, and Wimbledon remains one of his most important opportunities to try to reach a 25th major trophy. Such a title would carry double weight: it would equal Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles and move Djokovic alone beyond the threshold of 24 Grand Slam titles. In the context of his career, victory over Safiullin is not just passage into the next round, but another step in the fight against time, physical wear and new generations.
Seventeenth quarterfinal at the All England Club
According to BeIN Sports, with his victory over Safiullin, Djokovic reached his 17th Wimbledon quarterfinal. In the men’s competition of the Open Era, only Federer has more quarterfinal appearances at this tournament, having collected 18 of them. That fact further emphasizes the durability of Djokovic’s career on grass, a surface on which at the beginning of his professional path he had to adjust his movement, serve and shortened points, and then became one of the most successful players in the history of the tournament. His record in the Wimbledon fourth round is now, according to the same report, 17:1, and his only defeat at that stage occurred back in 2006 against Mario Ančić.
Reaching the quarterfinals also has broader Grand Slam significance. BeIN Sports states that Djokovic reached his 66th quarterfinal at the four biggest tournaments, a number that further reinforces his status as one of the most consistent players in the history of men’s tennis. Such data often sound abstract, but they gain concrete weight in matches like this one: a player who did not have his best day, who was losing control over his emotions and rhythm, still finds enough solutions to defeat an opponent with great confidence. It is precisely that ability to survive difficult stretches that still keeps Djokovic at the top.
Wimbledon 2026, according to the tournament’s official schedule, runs from June 29 to July 12 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. After the abolition of the traditional rest day in the middle of the tournament, the second Sunday has become an increasingly important part of the competitive rhythm because it brings the first fourth-round duels and opens the week in which the finalists are decided. Djokovic secured his place among the last eight precisely on that day, thereby continuing a run of appearances in the closing stages of the tournament despite the fact that his path through the first four rounds was not completely calm. In the first round he lost a set against Wu Yibing, against Rinderknech he also had to play four sets, and Safiullin forced him into another physically and mentally unpleasant test.
What comes next for Djokovic
Djokovic will play in the quarterfinals against the winner of the match between Félix Auger-Aliassime and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, according to the tournament schedule and reports after his victory. ATP stated ahead of the tournament that Djokovic had been positioned as a possible quarterfinal opponent for Auger-Aliassime, but the actual outcome depended on the fourth-round results. For Djokovic, the most important thing is to come out of the match with Safiullin without additional physical problems and with enough time for recovery. Although the result of the fourth set showed that he can raise his level when it is most needed, long and emotionally demanding stretches remain a question in the closing stages of the tournament.
In that context, his statement about a day that began as a fight for survival and ended as a new upswing best describes the state in which he awaits the quarterfinal. Djokovic no longer moves through Grand Slam tournaments with the dominance of his strongest seasons, but he still possesses the combination of experience, tactical adjustment and competitive stubbornness that is especially valuable at Wimbledon. Against Safiullin, he had to survive his opponent’s courage, his own frustrations and the weight of the historical record waiting on the other side of the net. When the final volley ended in a point, the statistics received a new page, and the tournament a new quarterfinalist who once again remains in pursuit of the greatest prize.
Sources:
- BeIN Sports – report on Novak Djokovic’s victory over Roman Safiullin, the record of 106 Wimbledon victories and the course of the match (link)
- ATP Tour – text on Djokovic’s victory over Arthur Rinderknech, equaling Federer’s record and the context of the 105th victory (link)
- ABC News / Associated Press – report on Djokovic’s equaling of Federer’s record and his statements after the third round (link)
- Novak Djokovic Official Website – official overview of Djokovic’s results at Wimbledon 2026 and confirmation of the result against Safiullin (link)
- ATP Tour – report on Roman Safiullin’s path to the fourth round, victory over Joao Fonseca and comeback after injury (link)
- ATP Tour – overview of Djokovic’s Wimbledon results, seven titles and 24 Grand Slam trophies (link)
- The Championships, Wimbledon – official schedule and dates of Wimbledon 2026 (link)