Djokovic Secures 106th Wimbledon Singles Victory
Novak Djokovic, at 39 years old, continues his pursuit of a record-extending 25th grand slam title, focusing primarily on results rather than flawless play. On Sunday, he faced a challenging match against Russian Roman Safiullin, at times showing visible frustration on Centre Court as his usual game rhythm faltered. Nonetheless, Djokovic emerged victorious for a record 106th time at Wimbledon, advancing to the quarter-finals for the ninth consecutive year and the 17th time overall. This marks his 66th quarter-final appearance in major tournaments.
Djokovic’s 7-6 (6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Safiullin lasted nearly three and a half hours under warm conditions. The Russian, ranked 132 currently but previously reaching a career-high of 36, played aggressively and pushed Djokovic throughout the match. Safiullin had two set points at 5-2 in the opening set but was narrowly defeated in a tiebreak. He managed to claim the third set before Djokovic elevated his performance at the start of the fourth to avoid a deciding set.
“Another hard-fought win,” Djokovic said, visibly relieved. “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, particularly from the end where we were playing against the wind for pretty much the whole match.
“I don’t get to feel inferior from the back of the court against too many players throughout my career, if I’m totally honest. Today was one of those days where I didn’t want to stay in the rallies too long, to be honest, so I had to mix things up. It worked in some moments and in others it didn’t. 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.”
Asked to sum up his first week’s efforts, Djokovic said, “Survive to thrive, that’s how I feel. Hopefully the thriving part is coming.” When reminded of his reputation for focus, he added candidly, “And the outbursts as well, the meltdowns. I had a few of those today as well, I apologise.”
One notable moment of frustration occurred early in the third set while Djokovic was serving at 2-3. After saving two break points, he faced a third, which Safiullin converted with a powerful forehand to break for 4-2. Djokovic responded by hitting the ball toward the back fence in frustration, luckily avoiding contact with anyone.
The frustration was evident from the start due to Safiullin’s powerful game, which kept Djokovic pinned behind the baseline and on the defensive more than usual. Although Djokovic broke serve in the opening game, he struggled with sweat in his eyes, wind, and sun, allowing Safiullin to take a 5-2 lead. Safiullin had two set points on Djokovic’s serve but failed to convert and was broken back after a loose game. Djokovic’s play was still not fluid, but he secured the tiebreak 8-6 after 62 minutes to take the first set.
The second set proceeded more straightforwardly for Djokovic, who appeared poised to win in straight sets. His son, Stefan, seemed relaxed, playing the card game Exploding Kittens in the player box. However, Djokovic’s level dropped at the start of the third set, allowing Safiullin to claim it and halve the deficit.
At that point, Djokovic adjusted his strategy, recognizing the need to approach the net and finish points more quickly. He won four of five serve-and-volley points and nine of 13 at the net, quickly building a 3-0 lead. He then comfortably closed out the set and the match, advancing to face either Canada’s No. 3 seed Felix Auger Aliassime or Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarter-finals.
