​The king of the sport’s most revered grass court is no longer Roger Federer. The crown now sits with Novak Djokovic, who needed every ounce of grit and nerve to claim his place as the all-time leader in men’s singles matches won at Wimbledon. To reach that milestone, the Serbian seven-seed dug deep and battled a determined opponent in Roman Safiullin, who, as world No. 132, earned affection from tennis fans by dragging the Centre Court clash into extra sets on Sunday. It was far from easy. Djokovic appeared visibly frustrated for large stretches, and at one point let out a loud obscenity that drew a warning from the umpire. He also double-faulted for the first time in a while, a lapse that could have been caused by something as simple as his vision on the court.
From the opening exchanges, it was clear Djokovic faced an uphill struggle as Safiullin repeatedly broke serve in the first set. The Russian fought back to win the third set, but Djokovic steadied himself over more than three hours of intense play to prevail 7-6(8-6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Afterward, Djokovic told reporters that the win was another “hard-fought” performance. “Roman started very well. I didn’t feel comfortable from the back of the court,” he said. “I knew it was going to be a challenge staying in the rally with him, especially from that end where you play against the wind pretty much the whole match. I don’t get to feel inferior from the back of the court with too many players, to be honest. Today was one of those days where I didn’t want to stay in the rally for too long, so I had to mix things up. And it worked: some moments it worked, some it didn’t. But I found the accuracy and the precision with the serve that got me out of trouble on the fourth.”
Advancing to the quarterfinals, Djokovic can only hope that the toughest challenge is behind him. “Survive to thrive,” he quipped, capturing the mood of his campaign. “That’s how I feel. So, hopefully, the thriving part is coming.” The win not only propelled Djokovic into the history books for Wimbledon, but set the stage for a broader pursuit of major milestones that could redefine the sport’s record books.
With this victory, Djokovic, now 39, surpassed Roger Federer by accumulating 106 men’s singles wins at Wimbledon, a remarkable achievement that underscores his longevity and consistency on grass. The all-time Wimbledon record remains held by Martina Navratilova, who owns 120 titles, but Djokovic’s latest triumph narrows the gap and keeps him squarely in the conversation for one of the sport’s greatest career totals. Looking ahead, Djokovic is also chasing a historic eight Wimbledon titles, a mark that would tie him with the legendary Roger Federer for most wins at the All England Club. He currently sits on seven Wimbledon championships, placing him in a tie with Pete Sampras for the second-most all-time. Should he reach eight, Djokovic would claim his 25th Grand Slam title, extending his lead as the holder of the most Grand Slam victories among men in the Open Era. His current tally of 24 majors, which places him atop the Open Era men’s singles list, remains a focal point in the broader race for historical supremacy, a race that intersects with Margaret Court’s all-time record from the women’s side and Serena Williams’ Open Era milestones.
As Djokovic continues his quest, the headlines surrounding Wimbledon’s glittering grass courts emphasize not only a chase for more titles, but a narrative of endurance, adaptation, and precise, sometimes daring, play under pressure. The record books are shifting, and Djokovic’s name sits prominently at the center of that shift, signaling a chapter of continued dominance and the possibility of even more historic moments on this storied stage.