Novak Djokovic won a gruelling five-set battle with Felix Auger-Aliassime to set up a semi-final with reigning Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner.It went down to the wire, all the way to a fifth set tiebreak in the longest quarter-final in Wimbledon history.
Djokovic, who grew appeared agitated at points during the contest, needed a medical time out early on but eked out a victory to beat the Canadian 7-6 (12-10) 3-6 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (10-4).
In the first set he clutched his calf and called for the trainer to tend to it. He couldn’t find a break of serve but eventually won an extended tiebreake.The Serbian then coughed up a break and Auger-Aliassime snatched the second set away from him. Djokovic vented his frustration when he objected to officials closing the roof at the end of that second set, arguing there was still enough light for Centre Court to remain open.
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Djokovic vented his frustrations repeatedly in the match
He put that behind him to take a two sets to one lead and was then a break up in the fourth set, on the brink of victory. But Auger-Aliassime shrugged off mistakes to fight back and pocket the fourth set, winning the second of three tiebreaks.
They remained in lockstep in the decider as the tension ratcheted up to new extremes. A breath-taking final tiebreak unfolded, as the tournament curfew loomed, with Djokovic and Auger-Aliassime meeting each other in tremendous rallies.
It was the Canadian who finally faltered as an almost-spent Djokovic sealed victory, an extraordinary performance at the age of 39.His dream of a record-breaking 25th career Grand Slam title, by the most slender of margins, lives on.’One of the best matches I was part of’Afterward Djokovic said he won “with racket and a lot of heart. A lot of management of the nerves and extreme tension you feel in these kind of matches”.”Towards the end it was really anybody’s game,” he said. “These are the kind of moments that I still play tennis for. For sure.”I wish it was finals so I don’t have to worry about how the body will feel tomorrow. I’m happy, happy that I won.”It was honestly one of the best matches I was part of on this court in my career.”I have no energy left… right now it’s all business I still have to recover, I’m still in the tournament and I have the best player in the world in a few days time.”Sinner admits he was ‘struggling’Defending champion Sinner…
2026-07-07 23:00:00
