Novak Djokovic overcame a sluggish start to defeat Alex de Minaur and book a spot in his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final on Monday. The 38-year-old Serbian came from a set down to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in three hours and 18 minutes, staying on course for a record 25th Grand Slam title. Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, is chasing Roger Federer’s record of eight titles at the All England Club. Fittingly, Federer was in the Royal Box during the match. “It’s probably the first time he’s watching me and I’ve won the match,” Djokovic joked. “It’s great to have Roger, a huge champion, someone I admired and respected a lot,” he said, as quoted by AFP. The sixth seed made 16 unforced errors in a poor first set, including four double faults. But he battled through a 19-minute game early in the second set and eventually found his rhythm. Djokovic broke late in the third and reeled off five straight games in the fourth to seal the win. “I was very pleased to hang in tough in the right moments and win this one,” he said.
Next, he will face Italian Flavio Cobolli, with a possible semi-final clash against world No.1 Jannik Sinner looming. Elsewhere, Belinda Bencic reached her first Wimbledon quarter-final by defeating 18th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6(4), 6-4. The Olympic gold medallist failed to convert five match points at 5-3 in the second set, but sealed the win on her sixth opportunity. “I always got stuck in the fourth round, so it was so important for me to break through,” said Bencic.
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Back on tour after giving birth to daughter Bella in April 2024, Bencic added, “I’m juggling it like every mom does. So, props to the moms.” She next faces Mirra Andreeva, who beat America’s Emma Navarro 6-2, 6-3 to progress to the quarter-final.America’s Ben Shelton also prevailed in the Round of 16 after beating Italian Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 7-5.
