Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals after defeating Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin 7-6(6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 on July 5, 2026, earning his 106th singles match win at Wimbledon and surpassing Roger Federer’s record of 105 wins [1, 2, 3]. The 39-year-old Djokovic, aiming for an eighth Wimbledon title to match Federer’s record, struggled at times during the match, calling it "ugly" and expressing relief at the win. "To be honest, I haven't felt really great on the court, so I was relieved to get out of it and get a win," Djokovic said [3].

Djokovic’s run at this year’s Wimbledon began on June 29 when he defeated Wu Yibing in the first round in four sets, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, maintaining his perfect 21-0 first-round record at the tournament. Afterward, he said, "It felt really challenging for me today. I'm feeling happy but not the freshest. It didn't feel like the first round to be honest" [4, 5].

He then advanced in straights sets against Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the third round by July 2, showcasing solid form [6, 7, 8]. Djokovic matched another Federer record on July 3 by defeating Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) in the fourth round, marking his 18th appearance at that stage of Wimbledon, equaling Federer’s tally [7, 8, 9].

Soon after beating Rinderknech, Djokovic joked about his record-breaking progress: "I propose a match between me and Roger for 106! Whoever wins it, gets it. Let's just stop this here and let's call him down" [8].

Djokovic now looks to add to his tally of 24 Grand Slam titles. He targets a 25th major to surpass Margaret Court’s all-time record and hopes to claim an eighth Wimbledon crown, a men’s record shared with Federer [4, 5, 7, 9, 2].

His quarter-final opponent will be either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina [1, 2, 3]. Djokovic acknowledges the toll his career takes on his body, saying recovery now requires "more than I've ever done," reflecting increased wear and tear over time [3].

The quarter-final match marks another critical milestone in Djokovic’s quest to rewrite tennis history at Wimbledon.