Djokovic registers another Wimbledon record and reaches last eight with Safiullin win

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/djokovic-n-AZg49Et9/safiullin-r-IBpggNog/?mid=jPGJz8Dj"]The ‌victory[/a] moved [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Djokovic[/a] clear of his retired rival [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/federer-roger/GrsQDFC0/"]Roger Federer[/a] on the men's all-time match wins list ‌at the grass-court Grand Slam.[/p][p]The seventh seed will now have another ‌piece of history in his sights as he bids to equal the Swiss great's haul ‌of eight Wimbledon titles.[/p][p]Also in pursuit of a standalone 25th Grand Slam ‌trophy, the 39-year-old Djokovic has steadily gained momentum on the famous lawns of southwest London and heads into the last eight having again shown his knack for navigating danger.[/p][p]"Another hard-fought win," Djokovic ‌said. [b]"[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/safiullin-roman/IBpggNog/"]Roman[/a] started very well and very aggressively. I didn't ⁠feel as comfortable from back on ‌the court.[/b][/p][p][b]"I knew it was going to be a challenge, staying in the rally with ​him, particularly from the end where you played against the wind pretty much the whole match. He's just a very solid player, and I ​respect him a lot."[/b][/p][embed guid="9a250fcf-3361-4cfa-a850-2d476a103de7" url="https://x.com/Wimbledon/status/2073801092677189866" social-type="twitter" /][p]It was far from smooth sailing for the seventh seed under the blazing sun on Centre Court, as he twice ⁠dropped serve with uncharacteristic mistakes ​before saving two set points at 2-5 down to win the first set in a fiercely contested tiebreak.[/p][p]World number 132 Safiullin, eyeing a major upset after months out with a hip injury, continued to test Djokovic but crashed his backhand into the net ‌to fall behind 2-4 in the second set.[/p][p]Having found the opening, Djokovic quickly doubled his lead in the match with some exquisite serve-and-volley tennis, before his frustrations boiled over when Safiullin broke and snatched the third set to extend his adventure.[/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="d9591af8-1e9e-41fa-85a8-a44ca1fce03f" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="571d3e33-e58e-4947-86cf-21190e327600" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]"I haven't felt inferior from back of the court with too many players, to be honest, throughout my career. Today, it was one of those days where I didn't want to stay in the rally for too long,"[/b] Djokovic added.[/p][p][b]"I had to mix things up, and it worked in some moments and didn't in ‌some. But in the end, I found the accuracy really and precision with the ​first serve. That really got me out of trouble in the fourth ‌set."[/b][/p][p]After a tight hold to start the fourth set, Djokovic took his level up a notch to complete the win and set up a quarter-final clash with either third seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/auger-aliassime-felix/CzXh4LAb/"]Felix Auger-Aliassime[/a] or Spaniard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/davidovich-fokina-alejandro/0zQXLfz4/"]Alejandro Davidovich Fokina[/a].[/p][p][b]"Survive to thrive," [/b]Djokovic said as he reflected on his first week during which ⁠he has dropped sets in three ⁠of his first four matches. [b]"That's how ‌I feel. Hopefully the thriving part is coming."[/b][/p][embed guid="f56d07b2-a011-4118-92b3-3303668af145" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7cBtW6Ii54" social-type="youtube" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/atp-singles/wimbledon/"]Follow the men's side at Wimbledon here.[/a][/b][/p]