Novak Djokovic secured a record-setting 14th Wimbledon semifinal appearance on Wednesday, defeating Flavio Cobolli 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 in a victory that was briefly jeopardized by a dramatic fall in the final game. The win sets up a highly anticipated showdown with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
The victory moves Djokovic past Roger Federer for the most men’s singles semifinals at the All England Club. He also reached his 52nd career major semifinal, tying Chris Evert for the most by any player, male or female, in the Open Era. At 37, Djokovic is now the second-oldest man to reach the Wimbledon semifinals, trailing only Ken Rosewall, who was 39 in 1974.
“It means the world to me that I’m still able at 37 to play in the final stages,” said Djokovic, who continues his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title.
The match was a significant test. Cobolli, the 22-year-old Italian who was competing in the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time, pushed his idol by claiming the opening set in a tiebreak. However, Djokovic regained control, limiting his unforced errors to just 22—half of Cobolli’s total—and firing 13 aces to dominate the remainder of the match.
The contest concluded with a moment of concern. On his second match point, Djokovic’s foot slipped on the grass, causing him to fall awkwardly. While he recovered to win the next two points and seal the victory, he later expressed uncertainty about the physical toll.
“My body is not the same as it was before,” Djokovic said. “I guess the real impact of what happened, I will feel tomorrow. I’m hoping in the next 24 to 48 hours that the severity… is not too bad, and that I’ll be able to play at my best and free of pain in two days.”
Djokovic now faces Sinner, who has won their last four meetings, including a victory in last month’s French Open semifinals. “It’s going to take the best of me at the moment to beat Jannik. I know that,” Djokovic acknowledged. Despite Sinner’s recent form, Djokovic holds a 2-0 advantage over him at Wimbledon, having defeated him in the 2022 quarterfinals and 2023 semifinals.
The other men’s semifinal will feature two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz against American Taylor Fritz.
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