London: Novak Djokovic overcame an inspired challenge from Flavio Cobolli to secure a record 14th Wimbledon semifinal berth with a gritty 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 victory on Centre Court here.
Djokovic, who had dropped the opening set against Alex de Minaur in the previous round, found himself in similar trouble against the athletic Italian but once again turned the tide with clinical precision and mental resilience.
The 38-year-old Serbian took three hours and 11 minutes to subdue Cobolli, who was making his debut in a Grand Slam quarterfinal and on Centre Court.
Despite slipping on the baseline while missing his second match point, Djokovic recovered swiftly to convert his third opportunity and seal the win, drawing loud applause from the packed stadium.
Cobolli, ranked No. 24 and up to a live ranking of 19 after his run, showed impressive power and composure, especially in the opening set. He recovered from 3-5 down and saved a set point in the tiebreak before producing a pinpoint forehand pass and an unreturned wide serve to take the opener.
But Djokovic raised his level in the second, landing 83 percent of first serves and committing just two unforced errors to dominate the set 6-2. The third set was more closely contested, with Cobolli briefly regaining momentum to level at 5-5 before a loose service game handed Djokovic the edge.
The fourth set stayed on serve until the ninth game, when Cobolli netted a forehand volley to give Djokovic the decisive break. The six-time Wimbledon champion held firm to advance and improve his season tally to 26-8, while notching his 102nd career win at Wimbledon.
Djokovic, chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title and a potential eighth Wimbledon crown to equal Roger Federer’s mark, now faces World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the semifinals.
The Italian beat Ben Shelton in straight sets earlier in the day. Sinner holds a 5-4 edge in their head-to-head, including a win at Roland Garros last month, though Djokovic has triumphed in both their previous Wimbledon meetings.
With form, history, and motivation on his side, Djokovic stands just two wins away from rewriting more tennis history on the lawns of SW19.
