10 July,2025 10:08 PM IST | London | mid-day online correspondent
Novak Djokovic falls as he plays against Italy`s Flavio Cobolli (Pic: AFP)
Novak Djokovic cancelled his planned afternoon practice session at Wimbledon on Thursday, following a 'nasty' fall moments before his quarterfinal victory over Flavio Cobolli a day earlier. The seven-time Wimbledon champion, who is set to face world number one Jannik Sinner in Friday's semifinal, experienced a dramatic slip just moments before clinching his 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 win against the Italian.
Djokovic, 38, slipped while attempting to return a shot on his second match point, landing awkwardly on the court. Despite the mishap, the Serbian quickly regained his composure and managed to win the next two points, securing his place in the semifinal. However, the fall left the tennis world wondering about the toll it might take on the veteran's body as he continues his pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.
The All England Club confirmed that Djokovic had cancelled his scheduled practice session from 1-3 p.m. on Thursday at Aorangi Park, the venue typically used for players' off-court preparations.
Sinner, who is Djokovic's semifinal opponent, similarly opted out of his own practice session on Thursday after injuring his right elbow during his fourth-round win over Grigor Dimitrov. The 22-year-old Italian showed no signs of the injury when he dominated American Ben Shelton 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 in his quarterfinal, although he chose to rest on Thursday to manage his elbow and prepare for the challenge against Djokovic.
Both players are heading into Friday's semifinal with the objective of reaching a prestigious Wimbledon final. Djokovic will be looking to secure his eighth title at the All England Club, a feat that would match the all-time record set by Roger Federer. On the other hand, Sinner, in the form of his life, is aiming to reach his first-ever Wimbledon final and further cement his rising status in men's tennis.
Djokovic described his tumble as 'a nasty fall. It was very awkward'.
"Obviously, (my) body is not the same today like it was before, so I guess the real impact or effect of what happened I will feel tomorrow," he said at Wednesday's news conference. "So let's see. I'm hoping the next 24, 48 hours that the severity of what was happening on the court and what happened is not too bad, that I'll be able to play at my best and free of pain in two days."
(With AP inputs)
