Alex de Minaur 'frustrated' after letting near-perfect start slip against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon
Despite a strong start by the Aussie, his Serbian opponent staged a comeback that keeps his hope of a 25th grand slam win alive.
Djokovic will now advance to the quarter-finals after his 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over de Minaur.
With Roger Federer watching from the Royal Box, the player whose record eight men's titles Djokovic is trying to equal, Djokovic's usually-surgical game misfired badly early on.
"I can't remember when I've seen him play a worse set than this," John McEnroe, who won Wimbledon three times in the 1980s, said on the BBC telecast.
"I mean, it's literally been years."
The Aussie took an early lead, winning the first set, before Djokovic turned the tables and ended the match in the three subsequent sets.
The hustling and bustling of de Minaur's game continued to cause Djokovic headaches, but the sixth seed found his range to win the next two sets full of baseline rallies.
Even then, Djokovic looked like getting dragged into a fifth set as de Minaur jumped into a 4-1 lead in the fourth set.
But the Serb slammed the door shut just in time, winning five games in a row to take his place in the last eight.
"He lifted his level big-time," said de Minaur of that crucial juncture in the fourth set.
"I had a chance to break him and get the double break. He started going after it a little bit more and raised his level, which completely changed the momentum.
"I'm frustrated I let that set slip away. But he's been pretty good in big moments for a very long time.
"In the bigger moments today I think my level dipped, and I didn't rise to the occasion as I needed to if I wanted to beat someone as good as him.
"There's positives (from the match) but where I am in my career I want more. I want to be on the other side of this match coming out on top because that's the next step in my career.
"If I'm going to make the next step, these are the types of matches that need to start going my way."
Speaking on court after the game, Djokovic said he was in mixed spirits after the rough start.
"I'm still trying to process the whole match and what happened on the court. It wasn't a great start for me, it was a great start for Alex," Djokovic said.
"He was just managing the play better from the back of the court and I didn't have many solutions. I was very pleased to hang tough in the right moments and win this one."
De Minaur said he was "disappointed" he could not challenge a resurgent Djokovic, even in a close fourth set.
"I felt like I put myself in a great position," de Minaur said.
It was the first time Djokovic and de Minaur had played against each other on a grass court.
Djokovic has now won 43 of his last 45 matches at Wimbledon and not since 2017 has he failed to reach the final.
Djokovic's bid for an eighth Wimbledon title and 25th Grand Slam singles trophy overall will continue against world number 22 Flavio Cobolli of Italy.
AP/Reuters/AAP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Shayne O'Cass's race-by-race tips, analysis for Royal Randwick on Saturday
Form expert Shayne O'Cass analyses all 10 races for Royal Randwick on Saturday, presenting his race-by-race tips and analysis. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! â– â– â– â– â– KOKATAHI (6) is a son of Golden Slipper winner Farnan from the same family that gave us Black Caviar. This gelding was bought by Winx's trainer (and Guy Mulcaster) for $425,000 at Karaka. Ran well against the stablemates Central Coast (a real wow horse) and Crossbow on debut over 1250m; 1400m suit better in my opinion. If I am right about the Central Coast form, then you've got to have CROSSBOW (4) in there somewhere. FEAZABEEL (5) trialled well and had a head start in life by being born and raised at Newhaven Park. Bet: Kokatahi to win â– â– â– â– â– IN SUMMER (6) is by The Autumn Sun (of course) from one of the best families in the Studbook. In brief, her dam is a very close genetic relative of Typhoon Tracy. What's not to like about her form. So often it takes a Highway winner to win a Highway and she's ticked that box off. Ditto that for RED RAGS TO BULLS (7) who was a deserved Highway winner at Rosehill last start. Why not again? Joe Cleary and Gerry Harvey's mare VERMICELLA (8) has got some great numbers. â– â– â– â– â– AGITA (9) is one of mine. I remember telling anyone who'd listen that he would win a Derby of some description. Didn't happen for one (good) reason or another but I feel I know the horse well enough to suggest that a Randwick mile, first-up, is right up his street. Wide draw might even help him. HASTY HONEY (4) was never going to lose when she led on the Kensington track second-up. She's always had Saturday class talent; maybe a bit more even. Hard not to be taken with the Midway win of CALLISTEMON (10) last time. Bet: Agita each-way â– â– â– â– â– RACE 4: Petaluma (Bm72) 1100m Godolphin don't buy that many horses at the yearling sales but they certainly wanted CELERITY (11) it seems given they signed off on her for $850,000. She's by Exceed And Excel so who knows them better than Godolphin. She is a three-year-old filly taking on all comers but we are late in the season and more to the point, James Cummings invariably hits the mark when he tries this. FLAME OF HESTIA (9), the half to Hot As Hell, has won three times and all by pretty sizeable margins. This is harder than last start but if she wins, it will be the draw that did it. Bet: Celerity to win â– â– â– â– â– FEDERER (3) is trading off on those two wins that cast him as a future star of the sport early days and look, he might still make it to a decent grade; he has only had five runs. His breeding reveals a lot being a son of Dundeel out of Jameka and it could be that he will get to 2000m and even 2400m before we see him really sparkle again. Third-up here; he is peaking. MISTERKIPCHOGE (4) toughed it out for a well overdue win last time. How often does it happen, they win and they win two. It is Misterkipchoge though. Bet: Federer to win â– â– â– â– â– AGE OF KINGS (1) left England/Ireland as a Group 3 winner at Ascot over 1408m. The now Chris Waller-trained five-year-old has run in some big races since he got down here including the Golden Eagle, Linlithgow, Hall Mark, Luskin Star and a McKell Cup last start. You would like to, nay, need to see him doing something in a winter Benchmark 88. Ditto that last bit for ROYAL SUPREMACY (2). Take it as fact, he is not a '00' horse (in Australia so far). Bet: Age Of Kings each-way, Royal Supremacy each-way â– â– â– â– â– LULUMON (3) was purchased by Jason Coyle at the HTBA Yearling Sale in 2022 for $50,000. As of now, she has won $436,125 and she's only a four-year-old with 18 starts under her belt. The good numbers don't end there; she has won five times with five seconds and three thirds. Just to top it off, she is a last start Randwick winner beating Storm The Ramparts and Hi Dubai; talk about form being franked. YISKA (2) has won three of six of Soft, two of five first-up and there was plenty there to like about her last trial. Bet: Lulumon to win â– â– â– â– â– RACE 8: Asahi Super Dry Handicap 1600m KING RATEL (11) has raced twice since February 11, 2023. Both runs are here at Randwick; in fact he has run here eight times in his 20 starts for the simple fact that he is purpose-built for Randwick, pattern-wise, etc. Take note that the Bryce Heys-trained son of Animal Kingdom's best stats are at this same track and trip. OH DIAMOND LIL (4) is one for one at the track and distance and drawn a peach this time. TRAVOLTA (5) deserves great praise for that first-up win at Warwick Farm given he had 60kg on a Heavy 9. Bet: King Ratel each-way, Daily Double 1st Leg 11, 2nd Leg 2 â– â– â– â– â– RACE 9: Tab (Bm88) 1400m I was rather keen on RAZORS (7) first-up in a very deep Benchmark 94 here on June 21 but the market indicated that he might need the run; he was $12 to $18 on the day. He ran more like a $12 shot than a drifting $18 pop too, making a bit of ground at the right end. Gets out to 1400m here. The only time he was at this track and trip was his nose second in the Listed South Pacific. SUPER HELPFUL (3) is back at Randwick for the 12 time on Saturday. Funny record here, no wins, no seconds but one third and for that he picked up $300,000. Yep, it was the Big Dance. â– â– â– â– â– Could be a Randwick (Daily) double for Bryce Heys who has King Ratel in the first leg and GENTLY ROLLED (2) here. Two things standout about the daughter of Press Statement, one is that she is an accomplished 1400m horse and two, she has a neat little record here at Randwick. She was third to Nettoyer's little (half) sister CHANGING COLOURS (5) 14 days ago so if you like one, you have to like the other.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell on Josh Weddle and Cooper Hodge
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell says the recent injury setback to young star Josh Weddle has allowed the dashing defender to sharpen his game. Weddle was storming away to a top finish in the Hawks' best and fairest count before going down with a stress fracture in his back. His timeline on Hawthorn's injury list remains 'to be confirmed' and he could very well miss the remainder of the 2025 season. But Mitchell says the improved and versatile Weddle is using the stint on the sidelines as a chance to advance his game and is confident he will return a better player as a result. 'At the four-week mark he'll get a scan and then you'll either rule him out for the season or say, 'We're a chance here, let's see what we can do',' he said. 'It's very easy to focus on who's not there … if you're going to lose Josh Weddle to bring in James Sicily, we'll take that and not worry too much about it. 'Any good learning for Wedds, he sat in the coaches' box and he's looking at vision – he'll be a better player when he comes back. 'Hopefully, it's this year, if not, when he comes back he'll have a greater game understanding than when he left.' The Hawks have another young star in their sights, with father-son prospect Cooper Hodge training at Waverley earlier this week. Hodge is the son of AFL great and club champion Luke Hodge, who won four premierships in the brown and gold. The son of a gun will have to choose between his eligibility as a Hawk through the father-son ruling and Brisbane as an Academy product. Mitchell says the son of his former premiership teammate looks a 'nice talent', but he will resist heaping pressure on the teenager. 'He's getting a game in the seniors at the moment, so he had to go back up to Brissy to make sure he holds his spot, they've got training tonight,' he said. 'He was with us for a few days, which was great. We've got Mark Williams' young lad out here today. 'It's great when we can see some of our father sons come down and have a run around with the boys. 'I think the thing with a guy like Coop is he's still a young man and because of his dad's fame and accolades there's a lot more pressure on him. 'The last thing I want to do is add anything to that. He was great, he is a really energetic kid, (but) he's quiet, respectful and goes about his business. 'He wants to learn, he's going to be a nice talent.'
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Randwick Turf Talk: Mitch Cohen has a Knockout tip for punters on Saturday
Mitch Cohen and Shayne O'Cass debate all the key chances at Royal Randwick on Saturday. IT'S A KNOCKOUT (Race 9 No.10) is Mitch's best bet of the day, while Shayno is pinning his hopes on the Chris Waller-trained LULUMON (Race 7 No.3). â– â– â– â– â– Shayno: Hello Mitchy. Looks like a perfect track coming up at HQ on Saturday with some sunny skies and a bit of wind. Who am I? Alan Wilkie! But anyway, no excuses this end if my horses get beaten. Mitch: You were around for Alan's first broadcast weren't you Shayno? You are right. It's been a beautiful winter week in Sydney. I want to start in race 9 this week because that's where my best bet is. It's A Knockout was ultra impressive first-up and I am sticking with her. She is a stakes quality mare every day of the week. It's A Knockout KO's them first up at Randwick! 🥊 @cmaherracing @NockBraith @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025 • Shayno: It is a good race. I was keen on Razors first-up but they were a bit too sharp for him (pardon the pun). The only time he has been to this track and trip, he was beaten narrowly in the South Pacific on QE2 day at the Championships. Mitch: Will we see another Raging Force this week? I am tipping not but the two-year-old race is a competitive event all the same. I've gone the way of Crossbow. He did more than enough first-up over 1250m when narrowly pipped by Central Coast. Shayno: I love all those 'K' horses that Waller trains for Messrs Morgan and Devine. They might have another 'Special K here in Kokatahi, the son of Farnan. He was third to Central Coast on debut and we all know how good he is. Regally bred Central Coast gets the job done at Canterbury, and that's the First 4 to @cwallerracing after he trained the Quinella in Race 1 at Doomben as well! ðŸ'° @aus_turf_club @coolmorestud — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 18, 2025 • Mitch: Piggyback is a mare I've got a bit of time for. She was unlucky not to win last start but can pay me back. Expecting her to edge out a golfer and a tennis player – that's Hovland and Federer. Shayno: With Wimbledon on at the moment Mitchy how apt that Federer wins on Saturday? He is by Dundeel out of Jameka so every little metre added will help bring out his best IMHO. Mitch: If I was to have a second best bet, it would have to come in the Midway on Callistemon. A winner this track and trip last start with a perfect draw again. The extra 2kg doesn't worry me. Callistemon takes the opener at Randwick with ease for @kjparkerracing! ðŸ'¥ @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025
