Novak Djokovic keeps rewriting history at the All England Club. The 39-year-old Serbian defeated Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin 7-6(6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the fourth round to claim his record-breaking 106th Wimbledon match win, surpassing Roger Federer atop the all-time leaderboard.
Every analysis of the day, free
Create your free account to unlock today's analyses.
The milestone felt inevitable. After equalling Federer's 105 wins in the previous round against Arthur Rinderknech, Djokovic had a date with destiny on Sunday's Centre Court. He delivered, though not without a hiccup.
The opening set went to a tight tie-break, with Safiullin, who had battled through qualifying, refusing to be overawed. Djokovic edged it 8-6 before cruising through the second set. A dip in the third allowed the Russian to claw back a set, but the seven-time champion responded with authority in the fourth, breaking Safiullin to seal the win and etch his name further into Wimbledon lore.
Only Martina Navratilova, with 120 wins across all draws, sits ahead in the All England Club's all-time records. Among male players, Djokovic now stands alone.
This quarterfinal appearance is Djokovic's 17th at Wimbledon and his ninth in a row. At 39, the Serbian continues to defy time in a sport that spares no one. His pursuit of a record-extending eighth Wimbledon title rolls on.
