Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon Opponent Roman Safiullin’s Wife, Coach, Achievements, and More

Novak Djokovic continues his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title with a fourth-round match against Roman Safiullin at the Wimbledon Championships. The Russian has already surpassed all expectations with his run at the All England Club, defeating Andrey Rublev and João Fonseca en route to the fourth round.

Here’s a lowdown on Safiullin and his career so far as he prepares to upset Djokovic at Wimbledon.

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Who is Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon Opponent Roman Safiullin?

Born in Podolsk, Russia, Safiullin was introduced to tennis at the age of four. He practiced with his father growing up, who played a foundational role in his junior success. His father, Rishat, used to work as a tennis coach at a local youth academy.

Safiullin began playing competitively at age 12, and success quickly followed. He won the junior title at the 2015 Australian Open and continued to rise through the ranks before taking the next step. Growing up, he also trained alongside Rublev as the Russian tennis prodigies prepared for the ATP Tour.

A Grand Slam main draw debut followed in 2021, and it has been a career full of highs and lows for Safiullin. A quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon in 2023 marked his best Major result, and he will be looking to match that by defeating Djokovic on Sunday.

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Previously coached by his father, Safiullin has tried several coaches over the years. Currently, he is being coached by Karl Adrian Ringdal Nørstenæs. The Norwegian has been part of the player’s team since 2023 and helped him secure a career-high ranking of 36.

A 19-time singles champion in ITF events and an eight-time champion at the Challenger level, Safiullin is still searching for his first title on the ATP Tour. He has made one career final in Chengdu in 2023 but fell to a narrow defeat against Alexander Zverev.

Safiullin has three wins against top-10-ranked players in his career, having beaten Carlos Alcaraz, Zverev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Meanwhile, the Russian tennis star is married to Liudmyla Smolanova. She has often been seen in his player’s box and was also spotted agonizingly watching him compete against Fonseca in a tense match earlier this week.

The Wimbledon run has indeed been a special one for Safiullin, who was visibly emotional after defeating Fonseca and reaching the fourth round.

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Prior to SW19, Safiullin was still searching for his first ATP Tour win of 2026. He was sidelined since his 2025 US Open exit due to a lengthy injury layoff and said after his win over Fonseca that he wasn’t sure if he would return to tennis.

“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. I’m super happy to be back here,” Safiullin said in an emotional moment during his post-match on-court interview.

MORE: ‘Really Sad’ – Iga Świątek Wins Sympathy From Tennis World After Frustrated Outburst During Wimbledon Loss

Safiullin now has the chance to make more history by defeating Djokovic, who has by no means looked unbeatable at Wimbledon. He will no doubt be the underdog, but if he stays true to his aggressive all-round game and sharp movement, he will have every chance of coming out on top and continuing his incredible run at Wimbledon.

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