In a surprising turn of events at Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic has advanced to the semifinals without playing a match after his quarterfinal opponent, Alex de Minaur, withdrew due to a hip injury. De Minaur, the ninth-seeded Australian, suffered the injury during the final points of his fourth-round victory over Arthur Fils on Monday.De Minaur expressed his devastation at having to withdraw, stating, ‘It’s obviously not the announcement I wanted to make… I’m devastated, but I have to declare forfait due to a hip injury’. The injury is described as a tear in the cartilage that connects with the adductors, which De Minaur felt as a ‘crack’ during the last three points of his previous match. Medical professionals confirmed it as a high-risk injury, prompting De Minaur’s decision to withdraw to prevent potentially more severe damage.This development puts Djokovic, the second-ranked player and seven-time Wimbledon champion, directly into the semifinals without having to play. He will face either Taylor Fritz or Lorenzo Musetti on Friday. Djokovic, who has already won 24 Grand Slam titles, is now just one step away from equaling Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles.The injury not only impacts De Minaur’s Wimbledon journey but also raises concerns about his participation in the upcoming Olympic tennis tournament in Paris, which is just three weeks away. De Minaur expects to be sidelined for three to six weeks, potentially missing the Olympics.This turn of events adds another layer of drama to an already intense Wimbledon tournament, as players continue to battle for one of tennis’s most prestigious titles.
Key points
- Novak Djokovic advances to Wimbledon semifinals without playing due to Alex de Minaur’s withdrawal.
- De Minaur suffered a high-risk hip injury during his previous match against Arthur Fils.
- Djokovic is now one step closer to potentially equaling Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles.
- De Minaur’s injury puts his participation in the upcoming Olympic tennis tournament in Paris at risk.
