CNN
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Novak Djokovic He was at his best to defeat Andre Rublev on Tuesday, winning 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-3 in a thriller. Wimbledon The semi-finals
Robles, who has never reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam, was in impressive form during the first set, using his powerful serve and towering groundstrokes to take an early lead.
However, as is often the case when players face the imperious Djokovic, Rublev failed to maintain the same quality and intensity as the Serb ran away with the second set.
But Rublev once again raised his level and pushed Djokovic all the way in the third set, with the 23-time Grand Slam champion leading 2-1 after a brilliant 15-minute game.
Although Rublev continued to battle, he was unable to rekindle the form that had helped him win the first set – now a distant memory – as an early break of serve in the fourth gave the Russian another grand. Salem was defeated in the quarter finals.
It’s quite remarkable that Djokovic still manages to find some of the best tennis of his career at the age of 36 and has cemented his place as a heavy favorite to win Wimbledon with each passing round. has taken
His win against Rublev means Djokovic will now play in his 46th Grand Slam semi-final, equaling Roger Federer’s all-time record, but the Serb insists he is not thinking about records yet. .
“They’re just numbers at the end of the day, especially during tournaments I don’t like to spend too much time thinking about statistics,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview.
“It’s a tournament that’s active for me, I’m still in it, as well as other players, and that’s all I’m thinking about.
“It’s just going to be tough but I like the way I played today, the energy on the court, so hopefully I can get another win in a few days,” he added. said
Perhaps the person most disappointed by Djokovic’s win is his own daughter Tara. The world No. 2 told the BBC ahead of the quarter-finals that Rublev is Tara Djokovic’s favorite player, because she likes her headband and her intensity.
Djokovic, now undefeated on Wimbledon’s Center Court for a decade, certainly agrees with his daughter’s assessment of Rublev. “There were some sensational rallies,” Djokovic said. “He brings a lot of intensity to the court, it’s scary both with the ball and the sound coming from the corner.
“He’s someone who’s been around the top 10 for a couple of years, I have to congratulate him for a great match today and a great tournament.”
For Djokovic, who is bidding to equal Federer’s record of five Wimbledon titles in a row – shared with Björn Borg – and eight in total, is rising star Janic Sner, who Earlier on Tuesday, he defeated Roman Cefilin of Russia.