Djokovic reaches Wimbledon semifinals after five-hour thriller against Auger-Aliassime

Course of the five-set thriller

The first set was a hard-fought tiebreak that Djokovic won 12:10 after nearly 70 minutes. In the second set, Auger-Aliassime kept his composure and leveled the match at 3:6. The first two games of the third set alone lasted 34 minutes — a testament to the defensive tenacity of both players.

Djokovic struck back after another 62 minutes with 6:3 and retook the lead. However, Auger-Aliassime managed to drag the seven-time Wimbledon champion into a decisive fifth set. Once there, the Serb demonstrated all his class and experience in the tiebreak from the score of 4:2.

In the match tiebreak, Djokovic quickly built a 9:4 lead before closing it out. «Es war der lange Atem Djokovic', der für das Weiterkommen sorgte», commented the dpa news agency. On court, the 39-year-old raised his arms and was celebrated by the frenetic crowd.

Historical context

At 39, Djokovic is the second-oldest player of the professional era since 1968 to reach the Wimbledon semifinals, after Ken Rosewall in 1974. His next opponent is Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1, who dispatched the German Jan-Lennard Struff (ATP No. 74) in three sets in the quarterfinals.

Djokovic joked after the match that his children had watched the evening live. «Ich habe meinen Kindern gesagt, sie sollen nach dem vierten Satz ins Bett gehen, aber sie haben nicht auf mich gehört», the Serb said with a smile. «Ich bin froh, dass sie geblieben sind, denn das war eines der besten Matches, an denen ich je teilgenommen habe».

Looking ahead to the semifinal against Sinner, who defeated him at Wimbledon last year in three sets, Djokovic was self-critical: «Ich wünschte, es wäre schon das Finale, dann müsste ich mir keine Gedanken machen, wie sich mein Körper morgen anfühlt.» Asked whether he can win his 25th Grand Slam title, the 24-time major winner answered evasively: «Ja und nein.»

Djokovic's self-criticism and outlook

Djokovic explained his recipe for success with the words: «Mit meinem Schläger, großem Herz, dem Beherrschen meiner Nerven.» He sees his ability to keep pace with the younger generation as motivation: «Ich kann mich immer noch gegen diese junge Spieler behaupten, die 15 Jahre jünger sind als ich.»

Asked about the comparison with football world star Lionel Messi, who was making headlines in parallel with the match for a World Cup comeback, Djokovic said jokingly: «Es wäre schön, 90 Minuten zu spielen wie er.» The Serb was alluding to the fact that his own match had lasted considerably longer than a football match.

Reactions from the opponent

The opponent from Canada proved to be a gracious loser after the defeat. Auger-Aliassime paid tribute to Djokovic with the words: «Er ist bei so vielen Dingen, die er macht, einfach beeindruckend.» He added: «Letztendlich beweist er wieder einmal, dass er gut ist, wenn es darauf ankommt.»

Tennis experts see the victory as another sign of the Serb's extraordinary career. «Wir wissen das, weil wir ihn schon so oft gesehen haben, aber es ist wirklich beeindruckend, dass er das immer wieder schafft», said a commentator in reference to Djokovic's ability to deliver such performances in decisive moments.

Situation ahead of the semifinals

Djokovic can thus continue dreaming of his eighth Wimbledon title. After the French Open, where he was eliminated in early June in his third-round match against the Brazilian Joao Fonseca (19), the Serb has shown impressive late-season form on grass.

In the coming days, it will become clear whether the 39-year-old's body can handle the strain of the five-hour match. One thing is certain: by reaching the semifinals, Djokovic has once again demonstrated that he belongs among the greatest tennis players in history — and has simultaneously inscribed himself in the annals of Wimbledon.

The grass-court classic in southwest London is sure to stay with him. After the match tiebreak just before 11:00 p.m., the dramatic rallies, and the atmosphere on Centre Court, Djokovic was able to look back proudly on his performance so far in this tournament — knowing that the toughest task, the semifinal against Sinner, still lies ahead.