LONDON — From side to side and corner to corner, Novak Djokovic relentlessly maneuvered Felix Auger-Aliassime up and down the Centre Court baseline at Wimbledon, forcing him to retrieve shot after shot.
Finally, after an exhausting 22-shot rally during a fifth-set super tiebreaker, Auger-Aliassime found himself with a forehand right in the center of the court. Typically, this would have been an ideal opportunity.
But not today. Not after five grueling hours against the legendary 39-year-old Djokovic.
Auger-Aliassime, a talented 25-year-old Canadian known for one of the tour’s most powerful forehands, was running on empty. He sent his forehand wide, handing Djokovic a 9-4 advantage. Both players then hunched over, exhausted, leaning on their rackets. Yet, in a show of spirit, Djokovic urged the crowd to cheer louder, waving his right arm as if to spark more enthusiasm.
Just one point later, the longest quarterfinal in Wimbledon history — lasting 5 hours and 15 minutes — drew to a close.
“These,” Djokovic said with a smile, “are the moments I live for in tennis.”
The seven-time Wimbledon champion secured victory at 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4) on Tuesday, setting the stage for a semifinal clash against the defending champion Jannik Sinner.
“I’m still capable of going toe-to-toe with these younger players who have 15 years on me,” Djokovic asserted. “To beat them in such a tight match is quite a surprise, yet I constantly hold myself to high standards.”
As Djokovic pursues his 25th Grand Slam title, he continues to set records, marking his eighth consecutive Wimbledon semifinal — surpassing Roger Federer for the most consecutive men’s singles semifinal appearances at this prestigious grass-court event.
“It’s remarkable to see him perform at this level time and again,” Auger-Aliassime noted, reflecting on Djokovic’s enduring prowess.
The match concluded just shy of the All England Club’s 11 p.m. curfew.
In celebration, Djokovic raised his arms wide, soaking in the applause as he approached the net to shake hands with Auger-Aliassime. He even broke into a playful elbows-to-knees dance, often inspired by his daughter, who had been watching from the players’ box.
Later, Djokovic was asked to compare himself to another legendary 39-year-old excelling in his sport: Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
“It would be amazing to play 90 minutes like him,” Djokovic remarked about the soccer superstar.
Earlier that day, Sinner had a considerably shorter match, defeating Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5, 7-6 (4), 6-3 on Court No. 1.
Having beaten Djokovic in straight sets during last year’s Wimbledon semifinals, Sinner faced him again after their intense five-set showdown in the last four of this year’s Australian Open.
“I wish it were the finals, so I wouldn’t be concerned about how my body will feel tomorrow,” Djokovic joked. “I had to tell my kids to go to sleep after the fourth set, but they were too enthralled to listen. I’m really glad they stayed because it was one of the best matches I’ve ever played on this court.”
Fortunately for Djokovic, he’ll have two days off before the semifinals on Friday.
During the first set, Djokovic seemed to struggle with a lower leg issue, prompting a medical timeout where a trainer checked his ankle’s stability and massaged his calf.
He also took a moment to stretch his leg while leaning back, and continued to ensure he remained limber throughout the match, especially late in the fifth set.
“In the fifth set super tiebreak, it felt like anyone’s game,” Djokovic reflected.
Djokovic Takes Issue with Roof Closure
Djokovic voiced his concerns over the decision to close the Centre Court roof at 7:40 p.m. after Auger-Aliassime had leveled the match.
He expressed to Wimbledon tournament referee Denise Parnell his disbelief, suggesting that they could have fit in another set before darkness fell.
“We could easily manage another set outdoors. We are an outdoor tournament,” Djokovic stated. “Remember the first round? You didn’t close the roof until around 8:20 or 8:30, but now you want to close it at 7:40? Where’s the consistency?”
“You’re quick to enforce rules but seem to ignore them when it suits you,” he added.
In a thrilling comeback, Coco Gauff overcame Jessica Pegula after dropping the first set, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the semifinals for the first time.
The 22-year-old Gauff became the youngest player since Maria Sharapova in 2007 to reach the semifinals at all four Grand Slam events.
She will now face the 10th-seeded Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic for a chance to compete in Saturday’s final. Muchova reached this stage by defeating Naomi Osaka 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Despite her previous six appearances at the All England Club not advancing past the fourth round, Gauff expressed relief: “This is the first time in seven years of playing this tournament that I can walk onto Centre Court without feeling nervous.”
In the continuation of a fourth-round match, second-seeded Alexander Zverev defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (6), setting up a quarterfinal showdown against sixth-seeded Taylor Fritz.
