LONDON: Novak Djokovic fought back from a shaky start to defeat Alex de Minaur and secure his place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals. The seven-time champion recovered from a first-set stumble to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a gruelling three-hour, 18-minute match.
Djokovic admitted he struggled early, committing 16 unforced errors in the first set alone. “It wasn’t a great start for me, it was a great start for him obviously,“ he said. However, the Serb found his rhythm, breaking De Minaur at crucial moments to turn the match around.
The victory keeps Djokovic on course for a record 25th Grand Slam title. A win on Sunday would also tie Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon men’s singles titles. Federer, watching from the royal box, saw his long-time rival overcome a stern challenge.
“It’s probably the first time he’s watching me and I’ve won the match,“ Djokovic joked. “The last couple I lost, so good to break the curse.”
De Minaur started strongly, racing through the first set with aggressive play. But Djokovic responded, breaking early in the second set and battling through a marathon 19-minute game. The Australian fought hard but faltered in key moments, allowing Djokovic to seize control.
The third set proved decisive as Djokovic broke in the ninth game. De Minaur briefly rallied in the fourth, leading 4-1, but collapsed under pressure as Djokovic reeled off five straight games to seal victory.
Djokovic now holds the second-most Wimbledon quarter-final appearances (16) in men’s tennis, trailing only Federer’s 18. His next opponent will be determined as he continues his quest for history. – AFP
