Novak Djokovic secured the all-time record for the most men's singles match wins in Wimbledon history by defeating Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin on Sunday, July 5, 2026.
The 39-year-old Serbian advanced to his 17th Wimbledon quarterfinal with a 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory on Centre Court, marking his 106th career win at the tournament.
The win broke a tie with Swiss legend Roger Federer, who retired with 108 wins and eight titles.
Djokovic now trails the absolute tournament record of 120 wins held by nine-time women's singles champion Martina Navratilova.
Djokovic struggled with visible frustration and an apparent eye issue early in the three-hour contest.
He received a warning for an audible obscenity and narrowly avoided a penalty after hitting a ball to the back of the court.
"Survive to thrive - that's how I feel," said Djokovic, reflecting on his performances in the first week.
The second-seeded Serb entered the match as the clear favorite against the 132nd-ranked Safiullin, who had previously achieved a career-best quarterfinal run at the tournament in 2023.
"Hopefully the thriving part is coming!" added Djokovic.
Safiullin required a medical timeout for a left-leg injury during the third set.
He managed to claim his first-ever set against Djokovic across four tour-level meetings before fading in the final frame.
"I'm known for my outbursts and meltdowns, I had a few of those today so I apologise," said Djokovic regarding his on-court behavior.
The victory keeps Djokovic on track for a potential semifinal matchup against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
His immediate quarterfinal opponent will be either third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
"Our mind wanders all the time. It is very hard to keep it in the present moment.
Whoever manages to do that is the winner," said Djokovic.
