Novak Djokovic is not done chasing history. At 39, he survived one of the longest matches of this Wimbledon to reach the semifinals, outlasting Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-set test of endurance on Centre Court.
A five-hour test
Djokovic won 7-6(10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(4), a match that ran about five hours and swung back and forth through two tiebreakers before he closed it out in a fifth-set breaker, CBS Sports reported. It was, by the accounts of those who track such things, the longest quarterfinal in the tournament's history.
Djokovic did not pretend it was pretty. "A win is a win, even if you win ugly," he said afterward, according to the ATP Tour.
Another record at the All England Club
The victory extended a Wimbledon résumé that already stands apart. It was Djokovic's 106th match win at the All England Club, moving him past Roger Federer's record of 105, ESPN reported. A seven-time champion here, he reached the semifinals for the eighth year in a row.
The larger prize still in view is a 25th Grand Slam singles title, which would break the tie he holds atop the all-time list. That pursuit, deep into his fourth decade as a player, is what keeps drawing him back to the second week of majors.
Sinner next
Standing in his way is Jannik Sinner, the top-ranked player, who reached the semifinals with far less strain, beating Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets, 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3, ESPN reported. The contrast in their paths, Sinner efficient, Djokovic hauled through five sets, sets up the semifinal's central question: whether the younger man's fresher legs will matter more than the older man's experience.
Djokovic will have a day to recover before finding out. He has made a career of turning matches like Tuesday's into springboards; at Wimbledon, once more, he has given himself the chance.
