Djokovic faces De Minaur test as Rybakina eyes Wimbledon repeat

Alex de Minaur is the latest obstacle standing between Novak Djokovic and his pursuit of a 13th Wimbledon semi-final on Wednesday. Djokovic, eyeing a historic 25th Grand Slam title and aiming to match Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon singles titles, has shown impressive form despite recovering from knee surgery earlier this season.

Australia’s de Minaur, who recently won the grass-court tournament in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, will draw confidence from his victory over Djokovic at the United Cup in January, even as he faces a formidable challenge.

In the women’s quarter-finals, Elena Rybakina remains the sole former champion in contention at Wimbledon after a dominant run of 18 wins in her last 20 matches at the tournament. The fourth seed, reflecting on her evolution since winning her first Grand Slam title in 2022, faces Elina Svitolina, who has played emotionally in light of recent events in Ukraine.

Elsewhere, Jelena Ostapenko, buoyed by her strong showing with only 15 games dropped so far, meets Barbora Krejcikova in a clash between two former French Open champions. Ostapenko, who views Wimbledon as a special tournament with its unique atmosphere, seeks to replicate her success after reaching the semi-finals here before.

The quarter-finals promise thrilling encounters as the remaining contenders vie for spots in the prestigious Wimbledon semi-finals.