Alex De Minaur’s Wimbledon run involves an finish, falling to seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in an exciting four-set contest.
London, UK, 8 July 2025 | AAP & Tennis Australia
For a heady half-hour Alex de Minaur was in dreamland, for 3 hours he was in competition, however in the end he was unable to attain what would have been one of many largest wins of his profession and knock over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.
De Minaur gained the primary set 6-1, gorgeous Djokovic, the Centre Court docket crowd, and tens of millions watching on tv.
However Djokovic was not going to let his personal dream of successful a file twenty fifth Grand Slam slide away. He refocused and got here again to defeat de Minaur 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 in three hours and 19 minutes to achieve his sixteenth Wimbledon quarterfinal.
Earlier on Day 8, Australia’s Olivia Gadecki progressed to her maiden girls’s doubles Grand Slam quarterfinal alongside American Desirae Krawczyk.
It was, nevertheless, on the expense of all-Aussie duo Maya Joint and Kimberly Birrell; Gadecki and Krawczyk proved too sturdy with a 6-3 6-4 victory.
In junior singles, world No.1 Emerson Jones celebrated her seventeenth birthday in type with a 6-2 6-1 overcome Yoana Konstantinova, whereas fellow Australian Tahlia Kokkinis continued her dream Wimbledon debut, additionally successful in straight units towards native hopeful Daniella Britton.
Djokovic later mirrored on his fourth-round battle with De Minaur, one outlined by “difficult moments”.
“I didn’t have many options within the first set,” he mentioned. “It was a tricky sport to shut out the second set, I felt that was a momentum shift.”
It was, however as late as halfway via the fourth set De Minaur had a break and appeared set to drive a fifth just for Djokovic to up a gear and ruthlessly end off the eleventh seed.
De Minaur had been ready a yr for this match, having been pressured to withdraw from a quarterfinal date with Djokovic final yr because of the hip harm that dogged him via the again half of final yr.
The 26-year-old had overwhelmed Djokovic at Perth within the United Cup within the interim, however to take action at Wimbledon, the place the Serb has gained seven occasions, can be one thing else fully.
However whereas he’s a champion, he’s an getting old one: the 38-year-old was bidding to grow to be the third oldest Wimbledon quarterfinalist after Ken Rosewall in 1974 and Roger Federer in 2021.
The latter was watching from the Royal Field, together with England Ashes veterans Joe Root and James Anderson, and should have been astonished by what he was watching as De Minaur swept the primary set.
Djokovic double-faulted on the very first level of the match and whereas he adopted that with an ace down the centre, the tone had been set.
Troubled by a gusting wind the Serb continued to battle along with his serve. He dished up 4 double faults within the set, landed fewer than half his first serves and gained the purpose on solely 18 per cent of his second serves.
However that was to offer inadequate credit score to De Minaur. His first serve accuracy was even worse however there have been no double faults and he backed his second serve to the extent he gained 75 per cent of factors on it.
His trademark scurrying appeared much more efficient than standard, protecting the grass with extraordinary pace however arriving on the ball with the composure and poise to ship some excellent passing photographs and drop volleys.
Whereas the primary set was a mind-blowing walkover what adopted was much more aggressive. The solar got here out, the wind dropped, and Djokovic discovered his rhythm.
However De Minaur was equal to the problem. Djokovic claimed the second set nevertheless it took him greater than an hour because the pair traded breaks of serve and he needed to save a break level when serving for the set.
The third stanza was studded with magnificent photographs from each, with every applauding the opposite. However Djokovic secured the primary break, within the ninth sport, and served out.
The Australian wouldn’t go quietly, snagging an early break to race right into a 3-0 lead within the fourth set. However at 4-1 he did not take a break level and that proved essential.
The tip got here rapidly as Djokovic broke, and broke once more.
De Minaur was warmly cheered as he left court docket, with Djokovic main the applause.
AUSSIES IN ACTION: WIMBLEDON
DAY 8 RESULTS
Gents’s singles, fourth spherical
[6] Novak Djokovic (SRB) d [11] Alex de Minaur (AUS) 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4
Women’ doubles, third spherical
[10] Timea Babos (HUN)/Luisa Stefani (BRA) d [7] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) 7-5 6-4
Olivia Gadecki (AUS)/Desirae Krawczyk (USA) d Kimberly Birrell (AUS)/Maya Joint (AUS) 6-3 6-4
Ladies’ singles, second spherical
[1] Emerson Jones (AUS) d Yoana Konstantinova (BUL) 6-2 6-1
Tahlia Kokkinis (AUS) d [WC] Daniella Britton (GBR) 6-3 7-6(2)
Boys’ doubles, first spherical
Cruz Hewitt (AUS)/Mark Ceban (GBR) d Haydar Cem Gokpinar (TUR)/Kerem Yilmaz (TUR) 6-0 6-2
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