Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aliassime took part in a gruelling five-set Wimbledon quarter-final that went over five hours on Tuesday. The Canadian player was not able to win his way into his first-ever Wimbledon semi-final.Marko Djurica/Reuters
On paper, Tuesday’s quarter-final match at Wimbledon was always going to be a near impossible task for Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime.
He’d never gone further at the tournament. He was playing on Centre Court and facing tennis legend Novak Djokovic, who is bidding for his 25th Grand Slam title and eighth at Wimbledon.
After five sets, three tie breakers and more than five hours of tennis that had both players gasping for breath, Djokovic proved why he’s still among the best in the world at the age of 39. He won 7-6 (12-10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (10-4), leaving the 25-year old Canadian searching for answers.
Djokovic called it one of the best matches of his career at Wimbledon, no small comment given his history at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
“What can I say? These are the kind of moments I still play tennis for,” he said in an on court interview. “I’m happy. I’m happy that I won.”
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He told reporters later that he’s still surprised that “at this stage that I’m still able to battle these young guys that have 15 years less than me, that I’m able to beat them at the tightest possible scoreline.” He added: “It was really, really super even. Anyone’s game. Honestly, also Félix really played on a high level.”
Auger-Aliassime could hardly have done any better. He fired 29 aces, won 80 per cent of his first serve points and blasted 74 winners. And it still wasn’t enough.
The match was the longest of his career and so tight that Auger-Aliassime later said it all came down to one game.
“It was just this one game in the third set, I lost focus. After more than two-and-a-half hours of being very focused with him, I lost a little bit of my focus,” he told reporters. He added; “I think in the end he proves again that he’s good when he needs to. He’s solid, more solid than I was, when he needs to.”
Djokovic, in pursuit of his 25th Grand Slam win, basked in the quarter-final win over Auger-Aliassime on Tuesday. Djokovic heads to his 15th-ever Wimbledon semi-final.Maja Smiejkowska/The Associated Press
The match was even from the start. Djokovic took a closely fought opening set by winning a gripping tie breaker 12-10.
Auger-Aliassime held his nerve and won the first break point of the match in the second set when Djokovic double faulted. He held off two Djokovic break point opportunities and closed out the set with a blistering ace that topped 200 kilometres an hour.
There were early signs that Djokovic was struggling with his left leg. Up 5-4 in the first set, he started stretching his calf and grimacing. He called for a medical timeout and a trainer massaged the leg.
He also appeared slightly rattled. He smiled ruefully at Auger-Aliassime’s shots and got into a quarrel with tournament referee Denise Parnell about her decision to close the roof after the second set. It was 7:40 p.m. local time and Djokovic insisted they could play until 8:30 p.m. with the roof open.
“You have no idea what the rules are. No fricking idea,” he snapped at her. “We’re an outdoor tournament.” While the arguing carried on, Auger-Aliassime sat quietly in his chair watching.
The momentum shifted in the third set as Djokovic won a break point in the sixth game. Auger-Aliassime’s serve appeared to fall off and the Serbian pounced on every shot, showing no signs of a sore leg. Now it was the Canadian who seemed rattled.
Djokovic carried on the momentum into the fourth set and scored an early break. Auger-Aliassime slammed his racquet into his chair. But he quickly recovered and broke back in game four. He went from 0-2 down to 3-2 up and took the tie break 7-4, exuding more confidence once more with his serve.
Djokovic had first serve in the fifth set and the tension built as both players refused to give any ground. Djokovic had the crowd on its feet when it looked like he would win at 6-5, but Auger-Aliassime hung on with an ace on the final point of the game to tie it at 6-6. He pumped his fist and waved on the cheers.
After all of that action, the 10-point tie-breaker proved relatively straightforward for Djokovic. He jumped out to a 7-3 lead and never looked back, taking it 10-4. At one point Auger-Aliassime bashed his racquet into his foot in frustration. But he could only look on in disgust after his final shot flew long and Djokovic threw his arms in the air.
Auger-Aliassime pumped his fist after he sent Tuesday's match to a fifth set. The world's No. 4 player wasn't able to close out Djokovic.Maja Smiejkowska/The Associated Press
For Auger-Aliassime this was the second straight Grand Slam that he has made it to the quarter-finals and lost. He fell to Flavio Cobolli at the French Open in four sets.
“I’ll have to see what I can do so it goes my way the next time. For now, I can be proud of the fight and then I move on, move on to what’s next,” he said.
Djokovic will play world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the semi-final. It will be his 15th semi-final at Wimbledon. Auger-Aliassime is still searching for his first.