Novak Djokovic survives five-hour quarterfinal

Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon semi-finals on Tuesday after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-set quarter-final that lasted 5 hours 15 minutes, the longest last-eight match in the tournament’s history. The seven-time champion won 7-6(10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(10-4) on Centre Court to advance to a record-extending 15th Wimbledon semi-final. Wimbledon and the ATP said the match set a tournament record for the longest men’s quarter-final at the grass-court major. ### How long did the match actually last? Wimbledon’s official SlamTracker listed the match at 5 hours 15 minutes, while the tournament’s match report described it as the longest quarter-final in Wimbledon history. The scoreline showed how narrow it was: Djokovic took the first-set tiebreak 12-10, lost the second, won the third, dropped the fourth in another tiebreak, and then closed the match in a deciding-set breaker. (wimbledon.com) ATP Tour said Djokovic’s win came in a final-set tiebreak and sent him into another meeting with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The match added to a run of physically demanding contests for both players at this year’s tournament, with Auger-Aliassime also coming through a near four-and-a-half-hour fourth-round match to reach the quarter-finals. (wimbledon.com) ### What made this one different from a routine Djokovic win? Djokovic, 39, took a medical timeout for a calf injury during the match, according to Wimbledon’s report. The official recap said he also had to “fight to avoid losing another Grand Slam marathon,” referencing his five-set loss at Roland Garros five weeks earlier after leading by two sets. (atptour.com) ATP Tour quoted Djokovic afterward calling it “one of the best matches I was part of at Wimbledon.” The ATP report said the Serbian framed the contest as another example of the kind of test he has repeatedly faced and survived deep into majors. ### How close did Auger-Aliassime come? Felix Auger-Aliassime lost in the deciding tiebreak after pushing Djokovic through two tiebreak sets and five hours on Centre Court. (wimbledon.com) ATP Tour quoted the Canadian as saying: “Amazing fight, amazing battle with a legend of our sport. It is what it is.” ATP Tour also quoted Auger-Aliassime saying he had “a lot of belief” until the end of the match. (atptour.com) The result left him short of a first Wimbledon semi-final, but the ATP noted he had reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in consecutive majors. ### What does the result change in the draw? Djokovic’s victory set up a semi-final against Jannik Sinner, according to ATP Tour’s match report. (atptour.com) ATP said the win gave Djokovic a record-extending 15th Wimbledon semi-final appearance. Wednesday’s other men’s quarter-finals completed the last-four lineup, with Alexander Zverev advancing and British wildcard Arthur Fery also reaching the semi-finals, according to Wimbledon and ATP results pages. (atptour.com) ### What happens next at Wimbledon? Friday, July 10, is scheduled to host the men’s semi-finals at Wimbledon, with Djokovic due to face Sinner at the All England Club. (atptour.com) Wimbledon’s results and schedule pages list the tournament running through July 12, when the championships conclude in London. (wimbledon.com)