Djokovic outlasts Auger-Aliassime in five-hour Wimbledon epic, sets up Sinner semifinal
Novak Djokovic, 39, needed five hours and 15 minutes to subdue Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-set Wimbledon quarterfinal, prevailing 7-6(10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(4). He will meet Jannik Sinner in the semifinals.
A test of endurance
Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aliassime traded blows for over five hours on Centre Court, with the 39-year-old Serb eventually winning a fifth-set super tiebreak 10-4. The match, which finished just seven minutes before Wimbledon's 11 p.m. curfew, saw both players push each other to the limit. Auger-Aliassime, 25, arrived having lost his serve only once all tournament and fired 29 aces, but Djokovic's experience in the decisive moments proved decisive.
I'm happy. A racket and a lot of heart.
The roof dispute
Before the match, Djokovic protested the decision to close the roof due to fading natural light, arguing that in earlier rounds the roof had been left open until 8:20 p.m. The supervisor insisted on closing it, creating a different, more slippery grass surface that forced both players to adapt quickly.
Auger-Aliassime's resistance
The Canadian refused to fade. After losing a tight first-set tiebreak 12-10, he levelled by taking the second set 6-3. Djokovic responded by claiming the third 6-3, but Auger-Aliassime saved break points in the fourth and forced another tiebreak, which he won 7-4. In the decider, with the score at 4-4 and 0-30 on Djokovic's serve, Auger-Aliassime missed a routine backhand that could have given him triple break point. Djokovic held and the set drifted to a super tiebreak, where the Serb's backhand-to-backhand strategy wore down his opponent.
- Djokovic wins 12-10 after both players had set points.
- Auger-Aliassime levels the match 6-3 with dominant serving.
- Djokovic regains the lead 6-3, breaking at a crucial moment.
- Auger-Aliassime forces a decider by winning the tiebreak 7-4.
- Auger-Aliassime misses a backhand that would have given triple break point; Djokovic holds.
- Djokovic dominates 10-4, targeting Auger-Aliassime's backhand.
Sinner awaits
Earlier, world number one Jannik Sinner dispatched Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3 in 2 hours 35 minutes, conceding only one break. The Italian, defending champion, will face Djokovic in a rematch of last year's semifinal, which Sinner won. Djokovic, an eight-time Wimbledon winner, admitted the physical toll but has two days to recover.
- Djokovic vs Auger-Aliassime
- 5.25 h:mm
- Sinner vs Struff
- 2.58 h:mm
What's next
The semifinal pits the tour's most resilient veteran against its top-ranked player. Djokovic's body will be tested after the longest match of his Wimbledon campaign, while Sinner arrives fresher and with the confidence of a straight-sets win.
