Djokovic Moves Past Federer With a Record 106th Wimbledon Win

Centre Court saw the record change hands in a match that was anything but comfortable. Novak Djokovic fought through frustration, a lost third set and a dangerous challenge from qualifier Roman Safiullin before winning 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 3-6 6-3. The victory gave the 39-year-old his 106th men's singles match win at Wimbledon, taking him beyond Roger Federer's previous record of 105 and into another quarter-final at the All England Club.

How Events Unfolded

Djokovic had arrived in the fourth round level with Federer after beating Arthur Rinderknech for his 105th Wimbledon victory. That earlier win produced a joke from the Serb, who proposed a match with Federer to decide who should reach 106 first.

Safiullin then made sure the actual record-breaking match became a serious test. Ranked 132nd, the Russian responded to an immediate break of serve by winning five of the next six games and led 5-2 in the opening set. He had two set points but failed to convert them, allowing Djokovic back into the set before the seven-time champion took the tie-break 8-6.

The second set was more controlled, but Safiullin refused to disappear. After needing three consecutive five-set matches from the final round of qualifying to reach this stage, he still found enough power to win the third set 6-3 and force Djokovic to change his approach.

The decisive adjustment came at the net. Djokovic shortened points, used serve-and-volley tactics and broke early in the fourth set before closing out a match that lasted about three and a half hours. His reward was a place in his 17th Wimbledon quarter-final.

Critical Details

The record matters because Federer had long set the men's benchmark at Wimbledon. His total stood at 105 singles wins, built across a career that included eight men's singles titles. Djokovic first matched that mark in the previous round, then passed it against Safiullin.

Only Martina Navratilova now stands above Djokovic in total Wimbledon singles victories, with 120 wins. Djokovic's 106 are also part of a much wider record of longevity: the Guardian reported that he has reached the quarter-finals of a major tournament 66 times.

This milestone also sits inside one of the defining rivalries of the modern Wimbledon era. Djokovic beat Federer in the 2014, 2015 and 2019 finals, with the 2019 contest lasting four hours and 57 minutes. Federer held two championship points on serve in that match before Djokovic recovered to win 13-12 in the deciding set.

Reactions & Responses

Djokovic did not present the match as a polished performance. He struggled with conditions, appeared troubled by his eyes early on and later received a warning for an audible obscenity. After losing serve in the third set, he fired a ball towards the back of the opposite side of the court and was booed by sections of the crowd.

Survive to thrive - that's how I feel. Hopefully the thriving part is coming!

He also acknowledged the emotional swings that came with the match.

I'm known for my outbursts and meltdowns, I had a few of those today so I apologise.

Safiullin's performance gave those frustrations a clear cause. He attacked from the baseline, pushed Djokovic behind the court and became the first player in four tour-level meetings to take a set from him.

Putting It in Perspective

For British tennis followers, the significance is immediate because the record was broken on Wimbledon's Centre Court, where Federer and Djokovic built many of their most famous careers. This was not simply a statistical update; it shifted ownership of one of the men's game's clearest Wimbledon longevity records.

The manner of the win was revealing too. Djokovic has been taken to four sets in three of his four matches at this year's championship. Yet when Safiullin threatened to extend the contest, Djokovic changed tactics, attacked the net more often and found enough accuracy on serve to close the match.

That adaptability has kept his bid for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title alive. The record over Federer is complete; the tournament itself is not.

Looking Ahead

Djokovic advances to the Wimbledon quarter-finals after his 106th men's singles victory at the tournament. The Guardian reported that his next opponent is Canadian third seed Félix Auger-Aliassime.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner is also through to the last eight after beating qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3 7-6 (7-0) 6-3. The BBC reported that Djokovic remains on course for a possible semi-final meeting with the world number one, but both players must first win their quarter-final matches.