TENNIS: Djokovic clears Safiullin hurdle and another Wimbledon milestone to make quarterfinals

LONDON – Novak Djokovic continued his remarkable Wimbledon run on Sunday, defeating Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin 7-6(6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to earn a record 106th match victory at the All England Club and advance to the quarterfinals.

The seventh-seeded Serb overcame a tough challenge under the scorching sun on Centre Court. After being broken twice and trailing 2-5 in the opening set, Djokovic saved two set points before winning a hard-fought tiebreak to take control of the match.

Safiullin, ranked No. 132 in the world and competing after recovering from a hip injury, continued to push Djokovic but faltered in the second set when a backhand error handed the Serbian a crucial break.

Djokovic extended his advantage with effective serve-and-volley play, but Safiullin responded by breaking serve and claiming the third set to keep the contest alive.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion regained control in the fourth set, raising his level to secure the victory and book a place in the quarterfinals.

Djokovic will next face either third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for a spot in the Wimbledon semifinals. -Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in London, editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters