Novak Djokovic made Wimbledon history on 5 July 2026, claiming his 106th match victory at the tournament and passing Roger Federer’s previous men’s singles record of 105 wins. He reached the mark by beating Roman Safiullin in four sets, 7-6(6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, in 27-degree heat in London. That made Djokovic the most successful male singles player at Wimbledon by match count and kept him in pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title, three years after his last major triumph at the 2023 US Open.
Djokovic reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the 17th time, including a ninth consecutive appearance in the last eight. Only Martina Navratilova, with 120 victories, has more match wins at the tournament overall. The distinction is by category: Djokovic moved ahead of Federer in men’s singles wins, while Navratilova retains the overall record. The match against Safiullin was tense. The Russian had won six matches on his way to the fourth round, including victories over Andrey Rublev and Botic van de Zandschulp. He had also beaten João Fonseca. Safiullin led 5-2 in the opening set and held a set point, but Djokovic recovered to take the tiebreak after trailing 3-1.
After a brief pause that ran beyond the standard five-minute break, Djokovic returned to the court and quickly took control, breaking Safiullin’s serve in the sixth game of the second set. Safiullin received medical attention for a hip issue but managed to claim the third set. Djokovic dominated the fourth, closing the match with a serve-and-volley play. At 39 years and 51 days old, Djokovic became only the third player of that age to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals, joining Ken Rosewall and Federer. The victory brought his Wimbledon tally to 106, after he had tied Federer’s men’s record at 105.
After the match, Djokovic told Safiullin, “Your name’s everywhere,” in an exchange shared by Wimbledon. Safiullin later said Djokovic was pleased to see him “back and playing at a high level again,” following his return from injury. Djokovic entered the tournament as a 24-time Grand Slam champion with seven Wimbledon singles titles, seeking an eighth crown and a 25th major.
Djokovic’s quarterfinal opponent was Felix Auger-Aliassime, who advanced from his match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Davidovich has been in the spotlight recently, as highlighted in a recent report on his campaign at the Mallorca Championships, where he aimed for his first ATP title following a strong performance in London. Djokovic went on to reach the Wimbledon semifinals, where his run ended against Jannik Sinner. He did not secure a 25th Grand Slam title during the 2026 season.
Wimbledon’s grass courts have long been a stage for tennis legends, with records often standing for years before being challenged. Djokovic’s latest achievement cemented his status as the most successful male singles player at the All England Club by match wins and added a new chapter to the history of men’s tennis. His ability to maintain elite form into his late thirties remains a defining feature of his career.
