Djokovic Breaks Federer 'Curse' in Wimbledon Thriller
Novak Djokovic exorcised the ghost of Roger Federer's presence, battling back from the brink to defeat Alex de Minaur and surge into the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
In a dramatic Centre Court clash watched by the legendary eight-time champion Federer from the Royal Box, Djokovic overcame a disastrous start and a fourth-set deficit to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 against the inspired Australian 11th seed. The grueling victory, lasting three hours and 18 minutes, lifted a specific weight off the Serbian's shoulders.
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"This is probably the first time he is watching me and I have won the match!" a relieved Djokovic declared afterwards. "The last couple of times I lost, so it's good to break the curse." He paid tribute to his former rival, calling Federer "a huge champion" he "admired and respected a lot," adding it was "great to have him back" at Wimbledon.
The match began disastrously for the six-time champion. Djokovic, error-prone and hampered by double faults, was broken three times as De Minaur raced through the first set 6-1 in just 30 minutes. The Serb's struggles persisted deep into the second set, featuring marathon games and multiple breaks of serve. Djokovic eventually leveled the match, punctuating the set win by cupping his ear to the crowd.
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De Minaur refused to fade, maintaining relentless pressure. Djokovic found a crucial break in the ninth game of the third set to seize control, finishing it with a delicate drop shot. However, the Australian stormed back in the fourth, breaking Djokovic to surge to a daunting 4-1 lead.
Facing a potential fifth set, Djokovic dug deep. He saved a break point to avoid going 5-1 down, igniting a stunning comeback. The 38-year-old reeled off five consecutive games, showcasing trademark resilience to clinch the match and book his place in the last eight.
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Chasing History:
Djokovic equals Federer as only the third man over 38 in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon QF.Also Read GitHub CEO AI Boom Means More Engineers, Not Less
Djokovic now faces Italian 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli for a spot in the semi-finals, where world number one Jannik Sinner could be waiting. After enduring what he called "not a great start," Djokovic acknowledged the fight: "I was very pleased to hang in tough in the right moments and win this one." Having broken the 'Federer curse', the Serbian superstar is firmly focused on making more history at SW19.
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