Novak Djokovic reached a men's-record 14th Wimbledon semifinal on Wednesday, dusting off a painful fall to defeat No. 22 seed Flavio Cobolli 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 at Centre Court. The 38-year-old Serbian is now one win away from extending his record at the All England Club and inching closer to an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title.
In a moment that had fans gasping, Djokovic slid into the splits on his second match point and landed face-down on the grass. He brushed off the tumble, claiming it was "nasty" and "awkward," before winning the next two points to seal the match.
Throughout the four-set battle, Djokovic showcased his enduring skill: 13 aces, 19 holds in 21 service games and just 22 unforced errors – half as many as Cobolli. Still, he admitted the fall would take a toll. "My body is not the same today like it was before," he said, hoping for a pain-free recovery ahead of Friday's showdown.
Next up is world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who has won their last four meetings but holds a 0-2 head-to-head at Wimbledon after Djokovic eliminated him in the 2022 quarterfinals and 2023 semifinals. Djokovic will need his best form to advance to a seventh consecutive final and chase Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight Wimbledon titles.
The other men's semifinal features two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz against Taylor Fritz, setting the stage for a thrilling weekend at the All England Club.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
