LONDON, July 7, 2025
Djokovic Digs Deep to Advance
Seven-time champ battles back to reach Wimbledon quarter-finals.
- Djokovic reaches his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final.
- He will face Flavio Cobolli in the next round.
- Djokovic now has 101 match wins at Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic’s quest for a record-extending 25th major title continues as he overcame a shaky start to defeat Alex de Minaur at Wimbledon; reaching the quarter-finals for the 16th time.
Djokovic battled past de Minaur 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Monday. The match, lasting three hours and 18 minutes, saw Djokovic recover after a tough first set.
A Rocky Start
The Serbian star admitted he struggled early on. “It wasn’t a great start for me, it was a great start for him,” Djokovic said. “He broke my serve three times in the first set. Very windy, swirly conditions on the court.”
Djokovic acknowledged de Minaur’s strengths, particularly his speed and slicing ability. “He is one of the quickest players we have on the Tour and on grass where the ball bounces so low, it is extremely difficult to play someone like him if you are not feeling the ball really well. He exposes all your weaknesses.”
Turning the Tide
**What was the turning point in Novak Djokovic’s match against Alex de Minaur?** Djokovic cited the close of the second set as a momentum shift. “It was kind of a tough game to close out the second set. Perhaps that was a momentum shift where I just felt like ‘OK, I am back in the game’.”
De Minaur, 26, came into the match after dropping only one set in the previous rounds. He seized the first set but couldn’t capitalize on break point opportunities in the second. Djokovic then limited his errors and moved de Minaur around the court, taking control of the match.
SIMPLY UNDENIABLE 🔥
Novak Djokovic is a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon once more 👊Wimbledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Wimbledon | Wimbledon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/t3GeKTkxtx
— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 7, 2025
Eyes on the Prize
Djokovic’s victory over de Minaur marks his 101st match win at Wimbledon. Only Roger Federer has more with 105. With this win, Djokovic’s season record improves to 25-8. He now stands just three wins away from a record-breaking 25th major title. A title win would also tie him with Federer’s eight Wimbledon crowns.
Federer himself was present in the Royal Box, witnessing Djokovic’s performance. “It was a very difficult encounter, some very challenging moments for me. Sometimes, I wish I had a serve and volley and a nice touch from the gentleman who is standing right there, that would help,” Djokovic said, acknowledging Federer with a smile.
Next Up: Cobolli
Djokovic will now face Flavio Cobolli, the 22nd seed, who defeated Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(3). This will be Cobolli’s first Wimbledon quarter-final appearance.
De Minaur, currently ranked No. 11 in the world, was aiming for his sixth major quarter-final. While he displayed impressive groundstrokes and speed, he ultimately couldn’t sustain the pressure on Djokovic, especially after leading 4-1 in the fourth set. Djokovic now holds a 3-1 lead in their head-to-head series.
