By: Nana Kwame Bediako
Novak Djokovic has secured his place in the Wimbledon semifinals without having to play his quarterfinal match. This development comes after his opponent, Alex De Minaur, was forced to withdraw due to a severe hip injury. The injury was sustained during the final point of De Minaur’s previous match against Arthur Fils on Monday, July 8, 2024.
Alex De Minaur’s withdrawal announcement was filled with disappointment and regret.
“Obviously not an announcement I wanted to make by any means; I’m devastated but had to pull out due to a hip injury,” said De Minaur at a press conference on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. He described hearing a loud crack during the last three points of his match against Fils, which led to a subsequent scan confirming a cartilage tear in his hip. The medical advice strongly recommended against playing, as it posed a high risk of exacerbating the injury.
This injury comes at a particularly unfortunate time for De Minaur, who has been having an impressive season. “It is no secret that at this stage of my career, it was the biggest match of my career,” he added, emphasising the magnitude of the missed opportunity.
With De Minaur out of the competition, Novak Djokovic now advances to the semifinals and is set to face world number 25, Lorenzo Musetti, on Friday, July 12, 2024. Musetti earned his spot in the semifinals after a gruelling five-set victory against world number 13, Taylor Fritz. This marks Musetti’s first appearance in a major semifinal, adding another layer of excitement to the upcoming match.
Djokovic will be hoping to win an eighth Wimbledon to tie Roger Federer’s record and a record 25th Grand Slam title.