Djokovic to challenge De Minaur as Rybakina aims for a second Wimbledon title

Alex de Minaur is the newest obstacle for Novak Djokovic on Wednesday, as the Serbian superstar aims for his 13th Wimbledon semi-final.

Former champion and fourth seed Elena Rybakina, the highest-ranked woman remaining in the draw, will compete against Elina Svitolina.

AFP Sport previews Wednesday’s four Wimbledon quarter-finals:

Determined Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is closing in on a historic 25th Grand Slam victory, having dominated Holger Rune in straight sets in the fourth round.

His outstanding performance has overshadowed the fact that the 37-year-old underwent knee surgery following an injury at the French Open.

However, the Serbian player, also aiming to match Roger Federer’s record of eight men’s singles Wimbledon titles, reacted strongly after defeating Rune, expressing displeasure over the crowd’s support for his Danish opponent.

“I react if someone crosses the line,” he explained. “That’s essentially what happened. After the match, I spoke my mind.”

Ranked second in the world, he has often polarized fans since emerging onto the scene, challenging the dominance of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal while gaining a dedicated following.

Alex de Minaur of Australia, victorious at the grass-court ‘s-Hertogenbosch tournament last month, can draw confidence from his January win against Djokovic at the United Cup.

Elena Rybakina remains the sole former women’s champion left in the Wimbledon draw, extending her impressive record with an 18th win in 20 matches at the All England Club. The Russian-born Kazakh player now joins Ann Jones and Steffi Graf as one of the few to achieve a 90 percent win rate in women’s singles during the Open Era at this championship.

The fourth seed mentioned that she has evolved as a player since her 2022 Wimbledon victory, which remains her sole Grand Slam triumph to date.

“It’s different,” she commented. “Yet, stepping onto the court still brings a bit of nerves. With added experience now, I find more enjoyment during matches.”

On the opposite side of the net stands Elina Svitolina, seeded 21st, who was moved to tears after her recent victory over Wang Xinyu of China, reflecting on the tragic losses in Ukraine due to Russian attacks.

“Playing at such a prestigious event like Wimbledon,” she noted, “I also consider how I can use this platform to support the Ukrainian people. Today’s win, at least, provided a small moment of joy for them.”

In another match, Jelena Ostapenko, who won the French Open in 2017, faces Barbora Krejcikova in a clash between former champions. Ostapenko, from Latvia, has lost just 15 games and spent barely over four hours on court so far. Despite her success at Roland Garros, her most impressive Grand Slam performances have come at Wimbledon, reaching the quarter-finals in 2017 and the semi-finals a year later.

Ranked 14th, she also claimed the junior Wimbledon title in 2014.

“This tournament holds a unique significance with its traditions,” she remarked. “When you arrive here, the atmosphere is unlike any other Grand Slam.”

“For every tennis player, winning Wimbledon feels like a dream,” she added.

Krejcikova, who secured victory at Roland Garros in 2021, had never advanced beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon until this year, but she displayed her prowess in a convincing win over Danielle Collins in the round of 16.

Taylor Fritz delivered an impressive display, mounting a comeback against fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the fourth round, clinching victory in five sets.

The 13th-seeded American has shown strong form on grass, having won eight consecutive matches since the beginning of the Eastbourne International last month.

“I believe if you take the chance and go for a shot, you deserve to reap the rewards,” he remarked. “That’s what I particularly enjoy about playing on grass.”

Earlier this year, his upcoming opponent, 25th-ranked Lorenzo Musetti, defeated Fritz 6-4, 6-4 on clay in Monte Carlo.