Roman Safiullin produced one of the shocks of the third round at Wimbledon, defeating Joao Fonseca in straight sets (6-3, 6-3, 6-3). The Russian star was overcome with emotion after the match, with his on-court interview paused as he burst into tears. His wife, Liudmyla Smolanova, was also seen crying in the stands.
Emotional Victory
Safiullin, who had been struggling with injuries, admitted he feared his career might be over. “After the US Open I had to stop to treat my injury. That time was super tough,” he said. “Even half a year ago I didn’t know if I’d be able to be back. I didn’t know. I’m super happy to be back here.”
Wife’s Reaction
During the match, Smolanova could not bear to watch during a key moment, and at the final point, she too was in tears. The win sets up a potential meeting with Novak Djokovic at SW19.
