- Novak Djokovic advanced to the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a hard-fought four-set victory over Alex de Minaur on July 7 2025, at the All England Club.
- He prevailed 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court, with Roger Federer watching from the Royal Box.
- Djokovic will next face world No. 24 Flavio Cobolli in the quarter-finals.
38-year-old Novak Djokovic staged a stirring comeback to surge into the 2025 Wimbledon quarterfinals with a resilient four-set triumph over Alex de Minaur on Monday evening at the All England Club.
In search of a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon crown, Djokovic made a sluggish start that left many spectators fearing this might be his final appearance at this year’s tournament.
He was comprehensively outplayed in the opening set, which De Minaur claimed 6-1.
Yet, the Serbian maestro weathered the early onslaught and roared back to take the next three sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a three-hour and 18-minute encounter on Centre Court.
Djokovic found himself trailing 4-1 in the fourth set and staring down another break point, but the veteran champion dug deep, staving off the threat and emphatically shutting the door on De Minaur’s hopes of a deciding set.
He now advances to face 24th-seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli, who earlier won over Marin Cilic conqueror of Jack Draper in a thrilling 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 clash with a potential semifinal showdown with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner looms on the horizon.
By vanquishing De Minaur, Djokovic not only repelled a spirited opponent but also broke what he humorously referred to as the “Roger Federer curse,” referring to the Swiss legend’s presence in the stands.
“This is probably the first time he’s watched me win here, so it’s good to break the curse,” Djokovic quipped post-match.
“It’s great to have Roger here. He’s a true icon, someone I’ve admired and respected tremendously. We shared the stage for so many years and to see him back at his favorite and most successful tournament is truly special.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion expressed satisfaction with his performance, especially given the difficult conditions and rocky start.
“We had very windy and swirly conditions on court. He was just managing the play better from the back of the court and I did not have many solutions, to be honest,” Djokovic admitted.
He detailed the turning point in the match and how he eventually outmaneuvered the tireless Australian.
“I kind of reset myself in the second set. It was a tough game to close out the second set and I think that was maybe a momentum shift where I felt I was back in the game. There was a lot of cat and mouse play. There were a lot of slices and he is so good at that.
He is one of the quickest players, if not the quickest player, we have on the tour. On the grass, where the ball bounces very low, it is extremely difficult to play someone like him if you’re not feeling the ball really well.
He exposes all your weaknesses. I was very pleased to hang in tough at the right moments and win this game.”
Djokovic continues to etch his name into the history books, chasing legends and records alike.
He now becomes just the third man in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals at age 38 or older, following in the footsteps of Roger Federer in 2021 and Ken Rosewall in 1974.
The sixth seed is now through to his 16th Wimbledon quarterfinal second only to Federer’s remarkable 18 though at times, his path to this milestone appeared perilous.