Novak Djokovic has advanced to the semifinals of Wimbledon 2024 after Alex de Minaur withdrew due to a hip injury.
De Minaur, the Australian ninth seed, was scheduled to face Djokovic in the second match on Centre Court but had to pull out after experiencing difficulties during a practice session earlier in the day.
Djokovic will now face either Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti or USA’s 13th seed Taylor Fritz in the semifinals.
The Sporting News provides insights into De Minaur’s comments following his unfortunate exit from the tournament and speculates on the impact it may have on the remainder of his season.
MORE: Stay updated with all the latest scores and results from Wimbledon 2024
Alex de Minaur’s Hip Injury: Player Expresses Unwillingness to Face Djokovic While Unfit
“I am devastated to withdraw due to a hip injury,” De Minaur stated after it was confirmed that he would not be able to compete against Djokovic.
“I felt a loud crack during the last few points of my match against [Arthur] Fils. A scan revealed the injury, and there is a significant risk of aggravating it if I were to play.”
De Minaur managed to defeat Frenchman Fils in four sets earlier in the week to reach his first Wimbledon quarterfinal. He anticipates a recovery period of three to six weeks.
“I have been struggling to sleep in the past few days. I feel discomfort while walking,” De Minaur shared.
“It would be disrespectful to face someone like Novak without being close to 100% fit because I wouldn’t be able to compete at my best.”
13 – With Alex de Minaur’s withdrawal, Novak Djokovic has secured his 13th Men’s Singles semifinal at Wimbledon, matching Roger Federer’s record for the most by any player in the Open Era. Progress. #Wimbledon | @Wimbledon @atptour @ATPMediaInfo #Wimbledon | July 10, 2024
For Djokovic, this brings him one step closer to potentially securing his eighth Wimbledon men’s singles title, a feat that would equal Roger Federer’s record. It marks Djokovic’s 13th Wimbledon semifinal, matching the Open Era record held by the Swiss legend.
Despite undergoing knee surgery just weeks before the tournament, Djokovic has been in remarkable form. He displayed dominance against 15th seed Holger Rune in the quarterfinals, expressing frustration with the crowd for using a Rune chant as an excuse to boo him.