Djokovic on collision course with Sinner, retains quest for twenty fifth Grand Slam alive after getting into Wimbledon quarters

Novak Djokovic stated it was “good to interrupt the curse” in entrance of Roger Federer after recovering from a set all the way down to beat Alex de Minaur and attain his sixteenth Wimbledon quarter-final on Monday.

Djokovic was torpid and unusually tentative within the early phases of his last-16 match in opposition to the Australian eleventh seed on Centre Courtroom, however ultimately discovered his rhythm to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

It retains the seven-time champion on observe for a record-breaking twenty fifth Grand Slam title, which might be the crowning achievement of an astonishing profession.

If he wins the crown on Sunday, the 38-year-old Serb would additionally draw stage with Federer’s report of eight males’s titles on the All England Membership.

Retired Swiss nice Federer watched from the royal field as his long-time rival was given his hardest check of the event to this point.

“It’s most likely the primary time he’s watching me and I’ve received the match,” stated Djokovic. “The final couple I misplaced, so good to interrupt the curse.

“No, it’s nice, clearly, nice to have Roger, an enormous champion and somebody that I admired and revered so much.

“We shared the stage for therefore a few years, and it’s nice to have him again.”

#Wimbledon win quantity 101 for @DjokerNole 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9hV5fKhaei

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025

Sixth seed Djokovic was damaged within the first sport and conceded two extra breaks as De Minaur ran away with the primary set.

The Serb dedicated 16 unforced errors, together with 4 double faults within the opener.

Djokovic broke instantly at the beginning of the second set however then grew to become slowed down in a sport lasting almost 19 minutes, which De Minaur received on his sixth break level.

Each gamers struggled to carry onto their serve in an attritional battle however Djokovic, pleading for help from the gang, held his nerve to stage the match, letting out a roar as De Minaur went lengthy.

The third set went with serve till the ninth sport, when De Minaur skewed a forehand vast to concede the essential break.

De Minaur discovered new inspiration within the fourth set, surging right into a 4-1 lead however crumbled on the pivotal second as Djokovic fought again, reeling off 5 video games in a row to seal the win in three hours and 18 minutes.

“I’m nonetheless attempting to course of the entire match and what occurred on the courtroom,” he stated. “It wasn’t an important begin for me, it was an important begin for him clearly.

“I used to be simply more than happy to hold in robust in the fitting moments and win this one.”

Djokovic’s tally of 16 Wimbledon quarter-finals is second solely to Federer’s whole of 18 in males’s tennis.

He’ll play Italian twenty second seed Flavio Cobolli within the final eight, with a possible semi-final looming in opposition to world primary Jannik Sinner.