Djokovic Advances to Wimbledon Semifinals as De Minaur Withdraws

Australian tennis pro Alex de Minaur has withdrawn from his Wimbledon quarterfinal against Novak Djokovic due to a hip injury, handing Djokovic his 13th semifinal appearance at the tournament.

Novak Djokovic has secured a berth in the Wimbledon semifinals without even taking to the court, after his scheduled opponent, Australian Alex de Minaur, withdrew from their match on Wednesday.

De Minaur announced the news during a press conference, revealing that he had sustained a hip injury that forced him to withdraw. The Australian said that he felt a "loud crack" during the final three points of his Round of 16 match against Arthur Fils on Monday.

Djokovic Advances to Wimbledon Semifinals as De Minaur Withdraws

"It's no secret that this, at this stage of my career, was the biggest match of my career," said De Minaur. "The problem with me going out and playing is that one stretch, one slide, one anything, can make this injury (recovery) go from three to six weeks to four months."

Djokovic's victory by walkover marks his 13th semifinal appearance at Wimbledon, tying Roger Federer for the most by a man in tournament history. He will face Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, who is appearing in his first Grand Slam semifinal after defeating Taylor Fritz on Wednesday.

Djokovic Advances to Wimbledon Semifinals as De Minaur Withdraws

"He probably knows better than me the surface and the stadium, for sure," joked Musetti of his opponent during an on-court interview after the match. "We practiced a couple of times together, and it's always a huge challenge."

Djokovic's path to the semifinals has been far from smooth. The 37-year-old underwent knee surgery less than a month before the start of play at the All England Club after injuring it on the clay courts at the French Open. Despite the setback, Djokovic has dropped only two sets so far.

Djokovic Advances to Wimbledon Semifinals as De Minaur Withdraws

The Serbian veteran has been in impressive form throughout the tournament, dismantling his opponents with ease. In his third-round match, he thrashed Miomir Kecmanovic in straight sets, and in the fourth round, he defeated Dutch sensation Tim van Rijthoven in a dominant performance.

Djokovic's semifinal match against Musetti will be a test of his resilience and determination. Musetti is a rising star in the tennis world, and he has the potential to cause Djokovic some problems. However, Djokovic has a proven track record of success at Wimbledon, and he will be confident of overcoming this challenge.

The Wimbledon semifinals are set to take place on Friday, July 14th, with the final scheduled for Sunday, July 16th. Djokovic will be aiming to secure his seventh Wimbledon title and 22nd Grand Slam overall.