Safiullin reaches Wimbledon fourth round with 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Fonseca
Synopsis
Ranked 132nd and without a tour win in 2026, Roman Safiullin has stormed into the Wimbledon fourth round after saving match points against Rublev and dismissing teenage Brazilian Joao Fonseca in straight sets — all while fighting back tears over an injury that once made his return to the tour uncertain.
Key Takeaways
Roman Safiullin defeated Joao Fonseca 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 on 3 July to reach the Wimbledon fourth round.
Safiullin entered as a qualifier ranked No.
132 , having not won a tour match in 2026 before this run.
He saved all five break points he faced against Fonseca and completed the win in 2 hours 9 minutes .
The result lifted him 37 places to No.
95 in the live ATP rankings .
His career record at Wimbledon now stands at 9-3 , matching his 2023 quarter-final run as his best Grand Slam showing.
He next faces Novak Djokovic or Arthur Rinderknech for a place in the quarter-finals.
Roman Safiullin delivered one of the most emotionally charged performances of his career on Friday, 3 July, defeating Brazil's Joao Fonseca 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the fourth round of Wimbledon. The Russian, ranked No. 132 entering the tournament after coming through qualifying, completed the victory in just two hours and nine minutes at the All England Club.
An Emotional Return to the Tour
Safiullin had not recorded a single tour-level win in 2026 before this Wimbledon run, having shut down his 2025 season after the US Open to manage a persistent injury. Speaking in his on-court interview, a visibly moved Safiullin admitted the road back was anything but certain. 'After the US Open, I had to stop to treat my injury. That time was super tough. Even half a year ago, I didn't know whether I would be able to come back,' he said. 'I'm super happy to be back here.'
The 28-year-old struggled to hold back tears, underscoring the personal weight of a result that, on paper, looked straightforward but carried months of uncertainty behind it.
How He Got Here
Safiullin's path to the last 16 has been nothing short of remarkable. In the first round, he saved two match points to eliminate Andrey Rublev, before beating Botic van de Zandschulp in five sets in the second round. Against Fonseca, he was at his clinical best — saving all five break points he faced and never allowing the teenage Brazilian a foothold in the match.
The win also produced a significant leap in the live ATP rankings, with Safiullin climbing 37 places to No. 95. The former world No. 36 now has a career record of 9-3 at the Championships.
Historical Context at Wimbledon
Friday's result equals Safiullin's best run at a Grand Slam. His standout performance at the All England Club came in 2023, when he reached the quarter-finals before falling to then-defending champion Jannik Sinner. This fourth-round appearance matches that benchmark and raises the question of whether he can go one step further.
Notably, Safiullin is one of the more compelling stories of this year's draw — a qualifier, ranked outside the top 100, who has beaten a top-20 player and now stands two wins from a semi-final.
What Comes Next
Safiullin will face either seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic or France's Arthur Rinderknech in the fourth round, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake. A win against Djokovic, should that match-up materialise, would rank among the biggest upsets of the fortnight.
Point of View
Ranked outside the top 100, who has already beaten a seeded player and dropped just one set across three matches. The tears after the Fonseca win were not theatre; they reflected a genuinely uncertain return from injury that kept him off the tour for the better part of a year. The more interesting question is structural: if he faces Djokovic in the fourth round, it will be the sternest test of whether this is a feel-good fortnight or a genuine resurgence. His 2023 quarter-final run showed he belongs on grass; the ranking collapse since then was circumstantial, not a decline in ability.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did Roman Safiullin beat to reach the Wimbledon fourth round?
Safiullin defeated Brazil's Joao Fonseca 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 on 3 July to advance to the last 16 at Wimbledon. He completed the match in two hours and nine minutes without dropping a set.
What injury kept Safiullin out of the tour?
Safiullin ended his 2025 season after the US Open to recover from an injury, the exact nature of which he did not specify publicly. He said that even six months ago he was unsure whether he would be able to return to competitive tennis.
What is Safiullin's ranking after his Wimbledon win over Fonseca?
Safiullin rose 37 places to No. 95 in the live ATP rankings following the victory. He had entered Wimbledon ranked No. 132 after coming through qualifying.
Who will Safiullin face in the Wimbledon fourth round?
Safiullin will play either seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic or France's Arthur Rinderknech in the fourth round, with a quarter-final berth on the line.
What is Safiullin's best result at Wimbledon?
Safiullin reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2023, where he lost to then-defending champion Jannik Sinner. His fourth-round appearance in 2025 matches that run and gives him a career record of 9-3 at the Championships.
