Novak Djokovic etched his name deeper into Wimbledon history by breaking Roger Federer's record for the most match wins at the All England Club. The seven-time champion secured his 106th victory on the hallowed turf of SW19 with a four-set win over Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin on Centre Court. The 39-year-old Serb triumphed 7-6(4) 6-3 3-6 6-3 in three hours and 25 minutes, booking his place in the quarter-finals.
Record-breaking achievement
Djokovic had drawn level with the retired Swiss maestro when he defeated 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech in the third round. Sunday's victory moved him one ahead of Federer, who claimed eight Wimbledon titles during his illustrious career. The world No. 1 is now chasing a 25th Grand Slam title and an eighth Wimbledon crown.
Despite not being at his vintage best, Djokovic showed signs of returning rhythm as he continues his comeback from a stunning French Open defeat by Joao Fonseca last month. He adapted his game by employing a serve-and-volley approach more frequently, aiming to shorten points after stating he arrived in London with “more energy” than at Roland-Garros.
Safiullin's fearless challenge
Safiullin, ranked 132nd in the world, had already upset 12th seed Andrey Rublev and Fonseca en route to the last 16. He adopted a no-fear mentality, stepping inside the baseline and attacking Djokovic's groundstrokes with aggressive ball-striking. The Russian profited from net cords and close line calls, leading Djokovic to raise his arms to the heavens in frustration on several occasions.
The tension boiled over when Safiullin broke to go up 4-2 in the second set, prompting Djokovic to lash a ball away in disgust, earning his second code warning from the chair umpire. However, the Serb's experience proved decisive.
Turning point and quarter-final ahead
The immediate break in the second game of the fourth set swung the momentum back in Djokovic's favour. He harnessed his experience and capitalised on Safiullin's inexperience on the big stage to close out the match. Djokovic will face either third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarter-finals.
“I had to dig deep and find a way,” Djokovic said after the match. “He was playing some incredible tennis, but I believed in my game and used my experience to get through.”
