Novak Djokovic secured his 106th career singles win at Wimbledon on Sunday, breaking Roger Federer’s all-time record of 105 victories at the All England Club. The 39 year old Serbian defeated Roman Safiullin in four sets on Centre Court to advance to his 17th Wimbledon quarterfinal.
Djokovic started the match strongly but faced a test in the first set. He saved two set points while trailing 2-5 before winning the tiebreak 7-6. The second set went his way as he maintained steady pressure on Safiullin’s serve. In the third set, Safiullin found his rhythm and took it 6-3. Djokovic responded in the fourth set, forcing another tiebreak that he won 7-6 to close out the match.
The victory ties together two major milestones in one day for the seven time Wimbledon champion. Earlier in the week, Djokovic had equaled Federer’s mark with a win over Arthur Rinderknech. Against Safiullin, he pushed past that number in a match that required resilience and tactical adjustments. Djokovic’s movement and shot selection stood out, especially in the longer rallies and tiebreaks where experience played a key role.
Djokovic won more points overall and converted key break opportunities in the deciding set. He landed a higher percentage of first serves and won most of those points. Safiullin served well at times but struggled to hold when Djokovic applied pressure late in sets. The match lasted over three hours and highlighted Djokovic’s ability to raise his level in important moments.
Djokovic mixed deep groundstrokes with well timed slices to disrupt Safiullin’s rhythm. Safiullin countered with powerful serves and aggressive forehands that forced errors early on. In the tiebreaks, Djokovic’s composure under pressure proved decisive as he won the crucial points.
Djokovic’s comeback from the 2-5 deficit in the first set and his clean play in the final tiebreak. The Centre Court crowd reacted strongly to each key point, creating an electric atmosphere. Djokovic’s post match comments added a light moment when he joked about challenging Federer to a match for the 106th win.
This result connects Djokovic’s long career to Federer’s legacy at Wimbledon. The two players share a deep rivalry that defined an era of men’s tennis. Djokovic’s ability to keep competing at the highest level at age 39 adds another chapter to that story. The win also keeps his pursuit of an eighth Wimbledon title alive.
Djokovic will next face the winner of another fourth round match as he looks to continue his run. The performance showed his focus remains sharp even as records fall. Wimbledon continues to provide the stage for these historic moments in the sport.