A late Centre Court battle goes the distance
Centre Court delivered another long night and another five set drama at Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic had to suffer, adjust and find one last push to reach his 55th Grand Slam semi final. He also moved into his eighth straight Wimbledon semi final after coming through the longest quarter final ever played at The Championships.
The 39 year old defeated Felix Auger Aliassime 7-6(10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6[10-4] after five hours and 15 minutes. The match ended at 10.52pm, just eight minutes before the 11pm curfew.
Djokovic beat the No.3 seed and the clock on the same night. The final three sets were played under the Centre Court roof, with the crowd fully locked into every point.
Djokovic moves closer to another major record
The 24 time Grand Slam champion became the oldest Wimbledon semi finalist in more than 50 years. He is now two wins away from taking sole ownership of the all time Grand Slam singles record, a mark he currently shares with Margaret Court.
Next comes another huge test. Djokovic will face defending champion Jannik Sinner in a repeat of last year’s semi final, when the Italian won on his way to lifting the trophy.
This quarter final gave Djokovic almost every kind of problem. He needed a medical timeout for a calf issue. He kept speaking to his player box during tense spells. He also had to protect himself from another painful five set defeat at a major. Five weeks earlier at Roland Garros, he led by two sets before losing to Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.
Auger Aliassime, 25, brought power, movement and a huge serve. Still, Djokovic found a way to outlast the younger player. In the fifth set he used his experience to shorten rallies and take risk away from the Canadian when it mattered most.
Auger Aliassime serves big but Djokovic finds the answers
The Canadian served brilliantly throughout the match and finished with 29 aces. His delivery kept him in control for long stretches, and Djokovic needed almost two hours to earn his first break.
There were only four breaks of serve in the entire contest. That made every return game feel heavy. Djokovic stayed patient, kept reading patterns and repeatedly attacked Auger Aliassime’s backhand. That tactical choice helped him pull the match back onto his terms.
After the win, Djokovic was asked how he survived the fight. He replied: “With a racket and a lot of heart. A lot of, I guess, management of the nerves and the extreme tension that you feel in these matches.
“Towards the end, it really was anyone’s game. I think the scoreline was pretty even throughout the match. I think it was really anyone’s game in the super tie break.
“What can I say, these are the kind of moments I still play tennis for. I wish it was the final so I don’t have to worry about how the body will feel tomorrow. I am happy that I won.”
Family, history and a Sinner showdown
Djokovic’s 107th Wimbledon victory, which extends his tournament record, was watched by his children Tara and Stefan. He joked that he had told them to go to sleep after the fourth set, but they refused.
“I am glad they stayed because honestly it was one of the best matches I have been part of on this court in my career,” he said.
The Serbian has now reached his 15th Wimbledon semi final, 19 years after his first appearance at that stage. At 39 years and 51 days, he is also the second oldest man in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon last four. Only Ken Rosewall was older, at 39 years and 246 days, when he played the men’s final in 1974.
When told about his latest records, Djokovic kept the focus on the next match.
“That’s great but it is just another semi final for me. I will look at all the numbers and everything when I finish my career. Right now, it is all business. I still have to recover, I am still in the tournament and I have the best player in the world in two days’ time.”
The result also ended Djokovic’s run of three straight Wimbledon defeats against top 10 opponents. He lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the 2023 and 2024 finals, then fell to Sinner in last year’s semi final.
For now, the numbers can wait. Friday brings Sinner, and Djokovic’s chase for Grand Slam title No.25 is still alive.
