Novak Djokovic advanced to his ninth consecutive Wimbledon quarter-final and a record 106th singles victory at the All England Club, defeating Roman Safiullin 7-6 (6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 on Sunday. The 39-year-old Serb, seeking a record-extending 25th grand slam title, struggled at times against the Russian but ultimately prevailed in three hours and 27 minutes on Centre Court.
Djokovic, who has now reached the quarter-finals of a major for the 66th time, acknowledged the challenge posed by Safiullin, who played well above his current ranking of 132. “Another hard-fought win,” Djokovic said. “Roman started very well. He was very aggressive. I didn’t maybe feel as comfortable from the back of the court. I knew it was going to be a challenge staying in the rallies with him.”
Djokovic Overcomes Early Struggles
Djokovic broke Safiullin in the opening game but quickly lost his advantage as the Russian fought back to lead 5-2. Safiullin held two set points on Djokovic’s serve at 5-2 but could not convert, and Djokovic broke back to level. The first set went to a tiebreak, which Djokovic edged 8-6 after 62 minutes. Despite the set win, Djokovic appeared frustrated, struggling with sweat in his eyes, wind, and sun conditions.
The second set was more straightforward for Djokovic, who won it 6-3 to take a two-set lead. However, his level dipped in the third set, and Safiullin capitalized, breaking for 4-2 after Djokovic saved two break points. Safiullin ripped a forehand winner to secure the break, prompting Djokovic to bat the ball into the back fence in frustration. Safiullin closed out the set 6-3 to halve the deficit.
Djokovic Adjusts Tactics to Seal Victory
Facing a potential decider, Djokovic adjusted his game plan, moving forward more aggressively. He won four of five serve-and-volley points and nine of 13 at the net in the fourth set. The change paid off immediately as he raced to a 3-0 lead and cruised to a 6-3 victory. “In the end, I managed to find the accuracy and precision on my first serve, which really got me out of trouble in the fourth set,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic’s victory marks his 106th singles win at Wimbledon, breaking a tie with Roger Federer for the most all-time. He also extended his streak of consecutive Wimbledon quarter-finals to nine, a record. The 39-year-old will face either Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain in the quarter-finals.
Reflecting on his first week, Djokovic said, “Survive to thrive, that’s how I feel. Hopefully the thriving part is coming.” He also acknowledged his emotional outbursts: “And the outbursts as well, the meltdowns. I had a few of those today as well, I apologise.”
