Novak Djokovic delivered yet another Centre Court masterclass as he clawed back from a set down to defeat Alex de Minaur and storm into his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final.
With Roger Federer watching from the Royal Box, the Serbian icon survived a gripping battle that tested both his patience and pedigree.
Although Djokovic stumbled through a disastrous opening set, losing it 6-1 with a flurry of unforced errors and double faults, he slowly found his footing.
De Minaur, the 11th seed from Australia, raced to a 4-1 lead in the fourth set and looked poised to force a decider. However, Djokovic turned the tide with ice-cold composure and a five-game winning streak that sealed a hard-earned 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
What made the triumph even more special was the presence of Federer, the man whose eight Wimbledon titles Djokovic is chasing. The 38-year-old joked afterward that it was the first time Federer watched him live and he finally won – a playful nod to their past epic duels.
But beyond the humour, there was genuine respect. Djokovic acknowledged Federer’s legacy and said it was special to perform in front of someone he admired.
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“It’s probably the first time he’s watching me and I’ve won the match,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “In the last couple, I lost the match, so it’s good to break the curse.
“It’s great to have Roger here, a huge champion and someone I admired and respected a lot. We’ve shared the stage for so many years and it’s great to have him back in his most successful and favourite tournament, no doubt,” Djokovic stated.
Rallying through resistance: Djokovic turns the tide
Despite the slow start and mental lapses, Djokovic found ways to respond when it mattered most. After losing three service games in the opening set, he regrouped and broke De Minaur early in the second. Though the Aussie refused to fade, Djokovic held firm, saving break points and winning crucial rallies.
By the third set, momentum had shifted. The Serbian grew louder with each winner, feeding off the crowd’s energy while De Minaur’s rhythm dipped. Even when De Minaur surged ahead again in the fourth, Djokovic weathered the storm, saved key break points, and flipped the match in typical championship fashion.
With this victory, Djokovic joins Federer as one of only three men to reach Wimbledon’s last eight at age 38. As he eyes a record 25th Grand Slam and eighth title at SW19, one thing is clear: the king is not done ruling.
Tags: SW19, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Wimbledon, #Wimbledon2025, Alex De Minaur, Royal Box, Centre Court.
