London: Djokovic sets Wimbledon match wins record
PUBLISHED Jul 5, 2026, 1:25 PM ET
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LONDON, July 5 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic added another milestone to his Wimbledon legacy on Sunday, defeating Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin 7-6(6) 6-3 3-6 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals and claim a record 106th match victory at the All England Club, moving clear of retired rival Roger Federer on the men’s all-time wins list at the grasscourt Grand Slam. The 39-year-old seventh seed is now also targeting an eighth Wimbledon title to equal Federer’s record, as well as a standalone 25th Grand Slam singles crown, after navigating another demanding four-set contest on Centre Court. Djokovic had to recover from an uneven start and periods of uncharacteristic errors, twice dropping serve and saving two set points at 2-5 down before edging a fiercely contested first-set tiebreak in hot, windy conditions. World number 132 Safiullin, returning from months out with a hip injury, continued to pressure the Serb and extended the match by snatching the third set, but his challenge faded after a costly backhand error in the second set and Djokovic’s improved serving in the fourth. Mixing up his tactics with serve-and-volley play and relying on precise first serves at key moments, Djokovic closed out the win to set up a last-eight meeting with either third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, later describing his first week as a case of having to “survive to thrive.”
By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- Past months Safiullin sidelined with hip injury
- Earlier this Wimbledon Djokovic advances through early rounds
- Sunday Djokovic faces qualifier Roman Safiullin
- Sunday Safiullin leads first-set 5-2
- Sunday Djokovic saves two first-set set points
- Sunday Djokovic wins in four tough sets
- Sunday victory breaks Federer Wimbledon wins record
- Next Djokovic prepares for Wimbledon quarter-final
News Intelligence
- Djokovic's record-breaking win at Wimbledon is a reminder of the power of perseverance. Even after an uneven start and challenging conditions, he pushed through. It's a lesson in resilience, whether you're a tennis fan or not.
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