Djokovic Surpasses Federer for 106 Wimbledon Wins

Historic milestone at the All England Club

Djokovic advanced to the fourth round on Sunday with a four‑set victory over Roman Safiullin, 7‑6(6), 6‑3, 3‑6, 6‑3. The win pushed his Wimbledon singles tally to **106**, overtaking Roger Federer’s previous men’s record of 105. Djokovic now holds the outright lead in Wimbledon men’s singles victories, a milestone achieved just four years after his last championship in 2022. The achievement follows a season in which he has looked sharp in the early rounds, avoiding any five‑set match so far.

His new total still trails Martina Navratilova’s women’s record of **120** titles at Wimbledon. To tie that mark, Djokovic would need **14** more successes on the grass courts of the All England Club. Navratilova ended her career with nine championships, while Federer and Djokovic have captured eight and seven respectively. The gap to Navratilova’s nine titles remains nine wins, the same number he has won since his most recent triumph.

Road to a 25th major and future goals

After the match, the 39‑year‑old Serbian reflected on the importance of conserving energy early in Grand Slam events, a strategy that helped him breeze through the first three rounds without going to a deciding set. This approach kept him healthy for deeper runs as he pursues his long‑term aim of reaching his elusive 25th major title. Djokovic’s current seven titles are the lowest total among the modern “Big Three” of his era, but a sustained run of results could soon change that perception.

Next opponent: a rematch with Jannik Sinner

Djokovic’s path to another final includes a potential showdown with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, the defending champion who faces Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki on Sunday. The two players faced each other in last year’s semifinal, where Sinner triumphed in straight sets. Both need to win their quarterfinal matches for the clash to happen again, a scenario that carries added narrative weight after the recent proposal to honor Federer.

Details and context of the Safiullin clash

Safiullin, currently 132nd in the ATP rankings, earned his own credibility by defeating No. 24 seed João Fonseca 6‑3, 6‑3, 6‑3 in the third round. The upset at Roland‑Garros by Fonseca against Djokovic earlier in the season underscores how unpredictable Grand Slam draws can be. Despite his low ranking, Safiullin’s quarterfinal run in 2023 gave him a reputation that made the encounter with Djokovic especially compelling.

Djokovic had previously suggested on Friday that he and Federer should compete for the 106th win together, but the moment arrived against Safiullin instead. The Serbian leads the head‑to‑head with Federer 27‑23 on tour, a narrow edge that amplifies the significance of surpassing Federer on the Wimbledon win list. While Federer still holds the lead in total titles at the All England Club by a single championship, Djokovic’s latest result puts him within striking distance.

The upcoming quarterfinals will determine whether Djokovic can keep closing in on the legacy of both Navratilova and Federer, while Sinner remains the top contender to extend his own burgeoning Wimbledon story.