- Novak Djokovic has received a bye for the Wimbledon semi-finals
- His opponent, Alex de Minaur, has withdrawn due to injury
- That means he will face Lorenzo Musetti or Taylor Fritz
Alex de Minaur has withdrawn from the quarter-finals due to a hip injury, meaning Novak Djokovic immediately qualified for the 13th semi-final at Wimbledon.
“I’m devastated. This was the biggest game of my career,” said the downtrodden Aussie, confirming the unfortunate news.
In an extremely unfortunate turn of events, the Australian was injured on the very last stroke of his fourth-round victory over Frenchman Arthur Fils as he struck a stunning winning volley.
In that moment of victory, he knew something was wrong. He cast a ghostly glance at his box – where his girlfriend Katie Boulter, the British number 1, was also seated – and staggered to his chair, shaking his head.
He stood his ground immediately after the match, saying, “It’s going to be OK.” But it seems his initial, devastated reaction on the court was right.
“Obviously, I absolutely did not want to announce this,” he said Wednesday. “I am devastated to have to withdraw because of a hip injury, a small tear in the cartilage that is on the end of the adductor or connected to it.
“I felt a loud bang during the last three points of my match against Fils. Yesterday I had a scan and it showed that this was the injury. There is a big risk that it will get worse when I step on the pitch.”
It is a hell of a sadness for the world number 9, who reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Novak Djokovic has qualified for the Wimbledon semi-finals without hitting a ball
Djokovic’s quarterfinal opponent, Alex de Minaur, was forced to withdraw on Wednesday
For Djokovic, the road to his eighth title has been smoother so far.
All eyes were on the seven-time champion this week after he made a stunning attack on the Centre Court crowd on Monday night for what he interpreted as boos during his victory over Holger Rune.
It seemed like the crowd was just cheering ‘Ruuuuuune’ for his opponent, but Djokovic saw it differently.
“To all the fans who showed respect and stayed here tonight, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I appreciate it,” he began. “And to all those people who chose to disrespect the player – in this case me – have a goooooooood night.
‘That’s what they were. That’s what they were. [disrespecting me]’ he insisted. ‘I don’t accept it. No, no, no. I know they were cheering for Rune, but that’s an excuse to boo too.
“Listen, I’ve been on tour for over 20 years. I know all the tricks. I focus on the respectful people who pay the ticket, and love tennis and appreciate the players. I’ve played in much more hostile environments, believe me – you can’t touch me.”
Djokovic’s participation in this year’s tournament was already in doubt before a single ball was hit. The Serb underwent knee surgery just days before the major grass tournament.
He will face either Lorenzo Musetti or Taylor Fritz in the last four. He has a strong record over both players, having beaten the Italian in five of their six matches, while he has never lost to American Fritz in their nine meetings.
De Minaur will be devastated to have to leave the tournament early, having welcomed his status as an honorary Briton due to his relationship with Boulter.
Djokovic is now just two wins away from an eighth victory in SW19
“I feel very loved there, I have to say,” De Minaur said after his victory on Monday. “I always enjoy coming to Wimbledon and playing here. I always feel like I’m playing my best tennis. Over the years I feel like the support I’ve had has increased significantly.
‘It’s a great feeling as a player to know that there are a lot of people in the stadium supporting you, even though you’re so far away from home.’
Asked if he ‘really feels a bit British?’ de Minaur replied with a smile: ‘Yes, absolutely. Over the years I’ve learned a lot more about British culture thanks to Katie. I’m getting there.’
Boulter, who has been in a relationship with De Minaur since March 2022, was in his players’ box for the match against Fils and was also expected for the round of 16.
