Not many tennis players grow up playing on the slick bouncy grass surface, and neither did Novak Djokovic. Still, since his debut on the surface for Wimbledon at 18 years of age, he’s won 100 matches there along with seven of his 24 Grand Slam trophies. But for him, “I must say that it felt very natural for me to adapt to it, even though I grew up on clay.” Yet, the scenario he faced in the SW19 QFs against Flavio Cobolli to win his way into a record 14th semifinals at The Championships will always be a memory for many.

In the final game, the Serbian was holding a lead. A return from Cobolli got the 38-year-old to switch his directions on the baseline for a forehand attempt. However, his weight shifted to his left and his leg bent awkwardly, ending up in a “nasty” split leaving him on the ground face down for a few seconds. Nevertheless, Djokovic stood up on his own, wiped his face with a towel, and gave a quick wave of hand to the silent crowd at the Centre Court.

Taking his racket from Cobolli, who had entered his side of the court in a pure display of sportsmanship, he ended the game in 3 hours and 11 minutes taking the final two points of the QF. Djokovic toppled the No. 22 seed with a score of 6-7, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. Although smiling after the win, he did address his fall and the next steps.

When asked about the fall post-match, Djokovic kept his cool. “Well, I finished the match, so. It was a few points, but I had a nasty slip, but that’s what happens when you play on the grass. I actually think I didn’t so far this year. It’s a bit surprising because the way I move on the grass with a lot of sliding and very aggressive movement, you know. You’re expected to fall and have this kind of situation, so it did come at an awkward moment, but somehow I managed to find a good serve and pull it out. Obviously, I’m gonna visit this subject now with my physio, and hopefully, I’ll be well in two days.”

Of course, this isn’t the first time in his 100 matches on the surface that he has slipped, yet the age has certainly had its effects. Later, he further addressed the reporters to compare his earlier years to now saying, “Obviously, [my] body is not the same today like it was before, so I guess the real impact or effect of what happened I will feel tomorrow. So let’s see. I’m hoping the next 24, 48 hours, the severity of what happened is not too bad, that I’ll be able to play at my best and free of pain in two days.”

This win makes Novak Djokovic the second-oldest semifinalist in Wimbledon history, behind only Ken Rosewall, who was 39 when he lost to Jimmy Connors in the 1974 final. Djokovic is chasing history, aiming for his seventh consecutive Wimbledon final.

Now the tension is rising! Novak’s next challenge is a rematch against the dominant Jannik Sinner, with whom his last encounter in this tournament was in 2023. Will Djokovic make it two wins in a row? Don’t miss a moment of the Wimbledon drama—follow our Live Blog for all the latest updates!

So far, Novak has been the clear favorite to win the title this year—after all, he’s done it seven times before! But the last two years haven’t been easy, with rising stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz stealing the spotlight. Even his ex-coach has tipped him to claim the Gentlemen’s Singles Trophy this year. But does Nole believe it?

Novak Djokovic gives his thoughts on winning this time

On July 7, after his win over Alex de Minaur, Novak faced a question about whether he agrees with Goran Ivanisevic’s take that he’s the favorite to win against younger stars like the current World No.1 and No.2.

But Djokovic kept it real, “I love Goran and I’m happy he loves me back but I don’t think I’m a favorite against these guys at the moment. I think they are, both of them. But I do probably have my best chance here against them. If it comes down to me facing one of them or two of them, which I hope so… that means I’ll proceed to the finals… then I’ll obviously look for my best game to win.”

So far, Novak Djokovic’s journey at Wimbledon has been steady, with wins over Alexandre Muller, Dan Evans, and Miomir Kecmanovic. Against de Minaur, he dropped a rare 6-1 set—his first-ever breadstick at SW19—but bounced back in classic Djokovic style. “I think I do have a chance,” he said.

“There’s no doubt about it. I think my results on grass, even in the previous years, are a testament to my confidence on this surface. I’ve been playing some really good tennis this year. I feel good about myself. I feel confident. I feel motivated to go all the way. Let’s see what happens.”

With his 102nd Wimbledon win, Djokovic improved to 26-8 on the season and edged closer to a record-extending 25th major. If he clinches the title, he’ll tie Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon crowns. The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings has lost the past two Wimbledon finals to Carlos Alcaraz, adding fuel to this year’s fire.

Now, as the clock ticks down to his next match against Jannik Sinner—who already beat him at the Roland Garros semifinals this year—the big question is, can Djokovic turn the tables and book his spot in yet another Wimbledon final? We’d love to hear your take—comment below!