Novak Djokovic had a scary moment at Wimbledon yesterday. The tennis legend took a nasty fall right on match point during his quarterfinal win against Flavio Cobolli, but somehow managed to shake it off and close out the victory.
It happened at the worst possible time.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion was serving at 5-4, holding two match points at 40-15. Cobolli saved the first with an incredible return. Then on the second match point, the two players got into a long rally with some really powerful shots flying back and forth.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | 38 | 8,360 | 18 - 6 |
That’s when Djokovic suddenly slipped.
The fall came out of nowhere while he was positioned behind the baseline in the middle of the court. You could see he was in visible pain afterward, which is pretty unusual for someone who rarely shows discomfort on court.
But this is Djokovic we’re talking about.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner showed exactly why he’s considered one of the mentally toughest players ever. He got back up, won the next two points, and sealed his spot in the semifinals against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Grass Courts Are Tricky
After the match, reporters obviously wanted to know about the fall. Djokovic seemed relieved just to have finished the match and said he’d be talking to his physio right away.
“I finished the match, so…. (laughs). Yeah, I had a nasty slip, but that’s what happens when you play on the grass. I hadn’t fallen yet this year, and it’s a bit surprising for me because of how I move on the grass with the sliding and the aggressive movement.”
“It did come at the awkward moment, but somehow I managed to find a good serve and close it out. Obviously, I’m going to visit this subject now with my physio now, and hopefully, all will be well in two days.”
Here’s what makes this interesting: Djokovic basically revolutionized how players move on grass. For years, everyone thought sliding on grass courts was way too risky. But Djokovic proved you could do it safely and use it to stay in points that seemed impossible to reach.
That sliding technique has been a huge reason he’s won seven Wimbledon titles.
So when someone like Djokovic – who’s made grass-court movement look like an art form – takes a tumble, it’s genuinely surprising. Sure, slips happen more on grass than on other surfaces, but seeing the Serbian hit the deck is always unexpected.
Sinner Showdown Coming
The good news? Djokovic didn’t seem too worried about it during his interview. But he can’t afford to have any physical issues going into his semifinal against Sinner. The Italian has been absolutely ruthless this year and will pounce on any weakness.
Sinner’s been dealing with his own injury concerns though.
The Italian was actually questionable for his quarterfinal against Ben Shelton because of an elbow problem. He had heavy strapping on his arm but seemed to move fine throughout the match.
If both guys are healthy, this semifinal could be one of the best matches of 2025. Djokovic has admitted that grass gives him his best shot at beating the younger generation like Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
And he really needs this surface advantage against Sinner specifically.
The numbers are pretty brutal for Djokovic right now. Sinner has beaten him four straight times in official ATP matches. Make it five in a row if you count their exhibition match at the 2024 Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.
But here’s the thing – none of those wins came on grass.
Grass courts play differently than any other surface. They’re faster, the ball bounces lower, and movement patterns change completely. It’s why Wimbledon often produces surprising results compared to other tournaments.
They could face off again later this year at the 2025 Six Kings Slam after this year’s entry list was announced. Sinner, Djokovic, and Alcaraz will all be back for the big-money exhibition tournament.
For now though, everything comes down to whether Djokovic’s body holds up over the next couple days. At 37, he knows he doesn’t have many more chances to add to his Wimbledon collection. This semifinal against the world’s best player might be exactly the kind of opportunity he’s been waiting for.
