London [UK], July 8 : The Serbian icon Novak Djokovic sealed a record-extending 15th Wimbledon semifinal with a win over Felix Auger-Aliassime in a well-fought contest on Tuesday night.
Djokovic beat Felix 7-6(10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(10-4) in a five-set epic and booked a blockbuster semifinal clash with the world number one and the Wimbledon champion, Jannik Sinner.
During a match that lasted five hours and 15 minutes, Djokovic recovered from a calf issue that needed medical attention during the first set and fumbled a break advantage in the fourth set, but still came out on top in the longest QF in the history of Wimbledon.
The former world number one countered Felix's elite ball-striking with his toughness, booking a repeat of last year's semifinal. Sinner won that match as well, leaving Djokovic without his 25th major title, which he is still trying to win to this day. Djokovic has not won a Grand Slam since the US Open in 2023 and would be aiming for his eighth Wimbledon crown.
Earlier, defending champion Sinner sealed a semifinal spot in the ongoing Wimbledon competition with a win over Jan-Lennard Struff in the quarterfinal on Tuesday.
Sinner is just two wins away from successfully defending his Wimbledon title on Tuesday, beating the 36-year-old German 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3, booking a semifinal showdown with legendary 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic.
Despite dropping the opening set and falling an early break in the second set, Struff stayed aggressive with his heavy forehands and on-point timing, trying his best to unsettle the four-time Grand Slam champion. The world number 74 responded with a break back and applied pressure to earn a set point at 5-4, 30/40.
But Sinner's composure during the biggest moments came into the spotlight yet again as he escaped danger with three emphatic deliveries, two unreturned serves either side of an ace. The top seed's consistency at the baseline and his remarkable serve helped him produce a win in the second-set tie-break and win the whole thing in two hours and 35 minutes.
"The second set could have ended in a different way," Sinner said after the match. "Tie-breaks are always 50/50. If you are one set all or two sets up, it's a big [difference]. So in the third set, I was a little bit more relaxed, for sure."
"His percentage of first serves dropped a little bit, which helped me feel slightly more comfortable. I am very happy to finish in three sets, but he is a very tough player to play against. So I am pleased," he signed off.