Novak Djokovic continued his relentless quest for tennis history, overcoming a slow start to defeat Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 and secure a record-extending 14th Wimbledon semi-final.
The 38-year-old Serb, now just two wins away from a historic 25th Grand Slam title, will next face world number one Jannik Sinner in a highly anticipated showdown.
Djokovic, who also extended his record to 52 Grand Slam semi-finals, remains in contention to match Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight Wimbledon singles titles. However, the challenge is steep, with Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz widely tipped as the favorites for the final. Despite the odds, Djokovic’s dominance at the All England Club—winning 44 of his last 46 matches—makes him a formidable contender.
“Competing at this stage at 38 means the world to me,” Djokovic said after the match. “Playing against young players like Cobolli keeps me feeling young. Now I face Sinner, and it’s going to be a great match-up.”
Sinner, meanwhile, eased concerns over an elbow injury with a commanding 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 victory over American Ben Shelton. The Italian, bidding to become his country’s first Wimbledon singles champion, wore a protective sleeve but showed no signs of discomfort, delivering a clinical performance.
In the women’s draw, world number one Iga Swiatek broke new ground by reaching her first Wimbledon semi-final with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Liudmila Samsonova. The four-time French Open champion, who has struggled on grass in the past, expressed her joy at the milestone.
Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic also reached her maiden Wimbledon semi-final, edging out Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva 7-6(3), 7-6(2). The unseeded Bencic, the first Swiss woman to reach this stage since Martina Hingis in 1998, called the achievement “a dream come true.”
The mixed doubles final will take place on Thursday, with Dutch-Czech pair Sem Verbeek and Katerina Siniakova facing Britain’s Joe Salisbury and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani for the first title of this year’s tournament.
