Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Sunday, extending his run at the tournament for a ninth successive year.
The 24‑time Grand Slam champion overcame Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin in four sets, a victory that marked his 106th win at the All England Club. That total pushes him past the record previously held by his old rival Roger Federer; both players reached the milestone in 119 matches.
At 39, the Serbian is now headed to his 66th Slam quarter‑final, where he will meet either Canadian third seed Felix Auger‑Aliassime or Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Tuesday.
“Another hard‑fought win,” said seven‑time champion Djokovic after his 7‑6, 6‑3, 3‑6, 6‑3 victory.
He added that Roman started very well and was aggressive, which made Djokovic feel less comfortable from the back of the court.
The match was far from smooth sailing for the seventh seed under the blazing sun on Centre Court. Djokovic twice dropped serve with uncharacteristic mistakes, yet he saved two set points at 2‑5 down to claim the opening set in a fiercely contested tiebreak.
World No 132 Safiullin, who was eyeing a major upset after months out with a hip injury, tested Djokovic before crashing his backhand into the net to fall behind 2‑4 in the second set. Djokovic then used exquisite serve‑and‑volley tennis to double his lead, before Safiullin broke back to take the third set, extending his adventure.
After a tight hold to start the fourth set, Djokovic raised his level again to seal the win.
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In the women’s draw, American fourth seed Jessica Pegula matched her best run at SW19 by reaching the quarter‑finals for a second time, following a comeback win over fellow American Iva Jovic.
Pegula dropped a set for the first time at this year’s tournament, while her 18‑year‑old opponent was playing her first Grand Slam round‑four. Pegula’s first‑service point win rate jumped to more than 80 per cent, and she broke Jovic twice to build momentum.
“That was really tough,” admitted Pegula, who has made at least the quarter‑final stage of all four Grand Slams. “Iva’s a great player and brings lots of energy and intensity.”
Pegula closed the match with a 4‑6, 6‑3, 6‑1 victory on Court 1, becoming the first player to reach the last eight at this year’s Championships. Both the men’s and women’s results underline the depth of talent on display at Wimbledon this season.
Frequently asked questions
How did Djokovic break Federer's Wimbledon record
Novak Djokovic secured his 106th Wimbledon win by defeating Roman Safiullin, surpassing Roger Federer's previous record of 106 wins in 119 matches.
What was Djokovic's match score against Safiullin
Djokovic won 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 against Safiullin in a four-set battle at Wimbledon.
Who will Djokovic face next at Wimbledon
Djokovic will play either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarter-finals.
How many Grand Slam titles does Djokovic have
Novak Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam titles as of this Wimbledon campaign.
How many Wimbledon wins does Djokovic now have
Djokovic now holds the record with 106 Wimbledon wins, overtaking Roger Federer.
