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Time of India
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Mum's the word! For the third time in four years, new mothers reach Wimbledon semi-final
Belinda Bencic advanced to her second Grand Slam semi-final at , defeating seventh-seed Mirra Andreeva 7-6(3), 7-6(2) in straight sets at the All-England Club on Wednesday. The 28-year-old Swiss player, returning to competitive tennis after maternity leave, needed 2 hours and 7 minutes to secure victory on Court 1. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Bencic's performance marked her 38th career Top 10 win and only her second at Wimbledon, matching her best Grand Slam result. The former World No. 4 lost her serve just once during the match, occurring when she first attempted to close out the match at 5-4 in the second set. Bencic is the third new mother to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals in the last four years. In 2022, Tatjana Maria had achieved this feat. It was repeated a year later by Elina Svitolina. Both Maria and Svitolina, however, bowed out in the last-four stage. The 28-year-old Swiss gave birth to her daughter Bella in April last year and returned to competition six months later. She was ranked 487th in the world at the start of the year at United Cup. Ever since, she's pushed herself into No. 35 in WTA Rankings. By beating the seventh ranked Andreeva, Bencic is due to return to the top-20. This semi-final appearance comes five years and 309 days after her first major semi-final at the 2019 US Open, where she lost to Bianca Andreescu. This gap represents the fifth-longest between Grand Slam semifinals in the Open Era. Bencic executed her game plan effectively, utilising her slice serve precisely into the corners. Despite not having a powerful serve, she maintained it low and out of her teenage opponent's strike zone. The Swiss player won 73 percent of first serve points. Bencic will next play eighth-seeded Iga Swiatek who also secured her first Wimbledon semi-final, by defeating Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 7-5. Playing on No. 1 Court, five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek displayed dominant form against first-time major quarterfinalist Samsonova. The match lasted 1 hour and 49 minutes.


The Advertiser
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
De Minaur shakes but cannot defeat determined Djokovic
For a heady half-hour Alex de Minaur was in dreamland, for three hours he was in contention, but ultimately he was unable to achieve what would have been one of the biggest wins of his career and knock over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. De Minaur won the first set 6-1, stunning Djokovic, the Centre Court crowd, and millions watching on television. But Djokovic was not going to let his own dream of winning a record 25th grand slam, eclipsing Margaret Court, slide away. He refocused and came back to defeat de Minaur 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 in three hours, 19 minutes to reach his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final. "I didn't have many solutions in the first set," he said. "There were a lot of challenging moments for me. "It was a tough game to close out the second set, I felt that was a momentum shift." It was, but as late as midway through the fourth set de Minaur had a break and looked set to force a fifth only for Djokovic to up a gear and ruthlessly finish off the 11th-seed. De Minaur had been waiting a year for this match, having been forced to withdraw from a quarter-final date with Djokovic last year due to the hip injury that dogged him through the back half of last year. The 26-year-old had beaten Djokovic at Perth in the United Cup in the interim, but to do so at Wimbledon, where the Serb has won seven times, would be something else entirely. But while he is a champion, he is an aging one: the 38-year-old was bidding to become the third oldest Wimbledon quarter-finalist after Ken Rosewall in 1974 and Roger Federer in 2021. The latter was watching from the Royal Box, along with England Ashes veterans Joe Root and James Anderson, and must have been astonished by what he was watching as de Minaur swept the first set. Djokovic double-faulted on the very first point of the match and while he followed that with an ace down the centre the tone had been set. Troubled by a gusting wind the Serb continued to struggle with his serve dishing up four double faults in the set, getting fewer than half his first serves in and winning the point on only 18 per cent of his second serves. He also made 16 unforced errors prompting former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe to state on BBC commentary, "I can't remember when I have seen him play a worse set than this, it's literally been years. It's incredible to see him play like this." But that was to give insufficient credit to de Minaur. His first serve accuracy was even worse but there were no double faults and he backed his second serve to the extent he won 75 per cent of points on it. His trademark scurrying seemed even more effective than usual, covering the grass with extraordinary speed but arriving at the ball with the composure and poise to deliver some superb passing shots and drop volleys. While the first set was a mind-blowing walkover what followed was a lot more competitive. The sun came out, the wind dropped, and Djokovic found his rhythm. But de Minaur was equal to the challenge. Djokovic claimed the second set but it took him more than an hour as the pair traded breaks of serve and he had to save a break point when serving for the set. The third stanza was studded with magnificent shots from both, with each applauding the other. But Djokovic secured the first break, in the ninth game, and served out. The Australian would not go quietly, snagging an early break to race into a 3-0 lead in the fourth set. But at 4-1 he failed to take a break point and that proved crucial. The end came quickly as Djokovic broke, and broke again. De Minaur was warmly cheered as he left court, with Djokovic leading the applause, but it was another case of so near, but so far. For a heady half-hour Alex de Minaur was in dreamland, for three hours he was in contention, but ultimately he was unable to achieve what would have been one of the biggest wins of his career and knock over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. De Minaur won the first set 6-1, stunning Djokovic, the Centre Court crowd, and millions watching on television. But Djokovic was not going to let his own dream of winning a record 25th grand slam, eclipsing Margaret Court, slide away. He refocused and came back to defeat de Minaur 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 in three hours, 19 minutes to reach his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final. "I didn't have many solutions in the first set," he said. "There were a lot of challenging moments for me. "It was a tough game to close out the second set, I felt that was a momentum shift." It was, but as late as midway through the fourth set de Minaur had a break and looked set to force a fifth only for Djokovic to up a gear and ruthlessly finish off the 11th-seed. De Minaur had been waiting a year for this match, having been forced to withdraw from a quarter-final date with Djokovic last year due to the hip injury that dogged him through the back half of last year. The 26-year-old had beaten Djokovic at Perth in the United Cup in the interim, but to do so at Wimbledon, where the Serb has won seven times, would be something else entirely. But while he is a champion, he is an aging one: the 38-year-old was bidding to become the third oldest Wimbledon quarter-finalist after Ken Rosewall in 1974 and Roger Federer in 2021. The latter was watching from the Royal Box, along with England Ashes veterans Joe Root and James Anderson, and must have been astonished by what he was watching as de Minaur swept the first set. Djokovic double-faulted on the very first point of the match and while he followed that with an ace down the centre the tone had been set. Troubled by a gusting wind the Serb continued to struggle with his serve dishing up four double faults in the set, getting fewer than half his first serves in and winning the point on only 18 per cent of his second serves. He also made 16 unforced errors prompting former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe to state on BBC commentary, "I can't remember when I have seen him play a worse set than this, it's literally been years. It's incredible to see him play like this." But that was to give insufficient credit to de Minaur. His first serve accuracy was even worse but there were no double faults and he backed his second serve to the extent he won 75 per cent of points on it. His trademark scurrying seemed even more effective than usual, covering the grass with extraordinary speed but arriving at the ball with the composure and poise to deliver some superb passing shots and drop volleys. While the first set was a mind-blowing walkover what followed was a lot more competitive. The sun came out, the wind dropped, and Djokovic found his rhythm. But de Minaur was equal to the challenge. Djokovic claimed the second set but it took him more than an hour as the pair traded breaks of serve and he had to save a break point when serving for the set. The third stanza was studded with magnificent shots from both, with each applauding the other. But Djokovic secured the first break, in the ninth game, and served out. The Australian would not go quietly, snagging an early break to race into a 3-0 lead in the fourth set. But at 4-1 he failed to take a break point and that proved crucial. The end came quickly as Djokovic broke, and broke again. De Minaur was warmly cheered as he left court, with Djokovic leading the applause, but it was another case of so near, but so far. For a heady half-hour Alex de Minaur was in dreamland, for three hours he was in contention, but ultimately he was unable to achieve what would have been one of the biggest wins of his career and knock over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. De Minaur won the first set 6-1, stunning Djokovic, the Centre Court crowd, and millions watching on television. But Djokovic was not going to let his own dream of winning a record 25th grand slam, eclipsing Margaret Court, slide away. He refocused and came back to defeat de Minaur 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 in three hours, 19 minutes to reach his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final. "I didn't have many solutions in the first set," he said. "There were a lot of challenging moments for me. "It was a tough game to close out the second set, I felt that was a momentum shift." It was, but as late as midway through the fourth set de Minaur had a break and looked set to force a fifth only for Djokovic to up a gear and ruthlessly finish off the 11th-seed. De Minaur had been waiting a year for this match, having been forced to withdraw from a quarter-final date with Djokovic last year due to the hip injury that dogged him through the back half of last year. The 26-year-old had beaten Djokovic at Perth in the United Cup in the interim, but to do so at Wimbledon, where the Serb has won seven times, would be something else entirely. But while he is a champion, he is an aging one: the 38-year-old was bidding to become the third oldest Wimbledon quarter-finalist after Ken Rosewall in 1974 and Roger Federer in 2021. The latter was watching from the Royal Box, along with England Ashes veterans Joe Root and James Anderson, and must have been astonished by what he was watching as de Minaur swept the first set. Djokovic double-faulted on the very first point of the match and while he followed that with an ace down the centre the tone had been set. Troubled by a gusting wind the Serb continued to struggle with his serve dishing up four double faults in the set, getting fewer than half his first serves in and winning the point on only 18 per cent of his second serves. He also made 16 unforced errors prompting former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe to state on BBC commentary, "I can't remember when I have seen him play a worse set than this, it's literally been years. It's incredible to see him play like this." But that was to give insufficient credit to de Minaur. His first serve accuracy was even worse but there were no double faults and he backed his second serve to the extent he won 75 per cent of points on it. His trademark scurrying seemed even more effective than usual, covering the grass with extraordinary speed but arriving at the ball with the composure and poise to deliver some superb passing shots and drop volleys. While the first set was a mind-blowing walkover what followed was a lot more competitive. The sun came out, the wind dropped, and Djokovic found his rhythm. But de Minaur was equal to the challenge. Djokovic claimed the second set but it took him more than an hour as the pair traded breaks of serve and he had to save a break point when serving for the set. The third stanza was studded with magnificent shots from both, with each applauding the other. But Djokovic secured the first break, in the ninth game, and served out. The Australian would not go quietly, snagging an early break to race into a 3-0 lead in the fourth set. But at 4-1 he failed to take a break point and that proved crucial. The end came quickly as Djokovic broke, and broke again. De Minaur was warmly cheered as he left court, with Djokovic leading the applause, but it was another case of so near, but so far. For a heady half-hour Alex de Minaur was in dreamland, for three hours he was in contention, but ultimately he was unable to achieve what would have been one of the biggest wins of his career and knock over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. De Minaur won the first set 6-1, stunning Djokovic, the Centre Court crowd, and millions watching on television. But Djokovic was not going to let his own dream of winning a record 25th grand slam, eclipsing Margaret Court, slide away. He refocused and came back to defeat de Minaur 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 in three hours, 19 minutes to reach his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final. "I didn't have many solutions in the first set," he said. "There were a lot of challenging moments for me. "It was a tough game to close out the second set, I felt that was a momentum shift." It was, but as late as midway through the fourth set de Minaur had a break and looked set to force a fifth only for Djokovic to up a gear and ruthlessly finish off the 11th-seed. De Minaur had been waiting a year for this match, having been forced to withdraw from a quarter-final date with Djokovic last year due to the hip injury that dogged him through the back half of last year. The 26-year-old had beaten Djokovic at Perth in the United Cup in the interim, but to do so at Wimbledon, where the Serb has won seven times, would be something else entirely. But while he is a champion, he is an aging one: the 38-year-old was bidding to become the third oldest Wimbledon quarter-finalist after Ken Rosewall in 1974 and Roger Federer in 2021. The latter was watching from the Royal Box, along with England Ashes veterans Joe Root and James Anderson, and must have been astonished by what he was watching as de Minaur swept the first set. Djokovic double-faulted on the very first point of the match and while he followed that with an ace down the centre the tone had been set. Troubled by a gusting wind the Serb continued to struggle with his serve dishing up four double faults in the set, getting fewer than half his first serves in and winning the point on only 18 per cent of his second serves. He also made 16 unforced errors prompting former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe to state on BBC commentary, "I can't remember when I have seen him play a worse set than this, it's literally been years. It's incredible to see him play like this." But that was to give insufficient credit to de Minaur. His first serve accuracy was even worse but there were no double faults and he backed his second serve to the extent he won 75 per cent of points on it. His trademark scurrying seemed even more effective than usual, covering the grass with extraordinary speed but arriving at the ball with the composure and poise to deliver some superb passing shots and drop volleys. While the first set was a mind-blowing walkover what followed was a lot more competitive. The sun came out, the wind dropped, and Djokovic found his rhythm. But de Minaur was equal to the challenge. Djokovic claimed the second set but it took him more than an hour as the pair traded breaks of serve and he had to save a break point when serving for the set. The third stanza was studded with magnificent shots from both, with each applauding the other. But Djokovic secured the first break, in the ninth game, and served out. The Australian would not go quietly, snagging an early break to race into a 3-0 lead in the fourth set. But at 4-1 he failed to take a break point and that proved crucial. The end came quickly as Djokovic broke, and broke again. De Minaur was warmly cheered as he left court, with Djokovic leading the applause, but it was another case of so near, but so far.


Perth Now
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
De Minaur shakes but cannot defeat determined Djokovic
For a heady half-hour Alex de Minaur was in dreamland, for three hours he was in contention, but ultimately he was unable to achieve what would have been one of the biggest wins of his career and knock over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. De Minaur won the first set 6-1, stunning Djokovic, the Centre Court crowd, and millions watching on television. But Djokovic was not going to let his own dream of winning a record 25th grand slam, eclipsing Margaret Court, slide away. He refocused and came back to defeat de Minaur 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 in three hours, 19 minutes to reach his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final. "I didn't have many solutions in the first set," he said. "There were a lot of challenging moments for me. "It was a tough game to close out the second set, I felt that was a momentum shift." It was, but as late as midway through the fourth set de Minaur had a break and looked set to force a fifth only for Djokovic to up a gear and ruthlessly finish off the 11th-seed. De Minaur had been waiting a year for this match, having been forced to withdraw from a quarter-final date with Djokovic last year due to the hip injury that dogged him through the back half of last year. The 26-year-old had beaten Djokovic at Perth in the United Cup in the interim, but to do so at Wimbledon, where the Serb has won seven times, would be something else entirely. But while he is a champion, he is an aging one: the 38-year-old was bidding to become the third oldest Wimbledon quarter-finalist after Ken Rosewall in 1974 and Roger Federer in 2021. The latter was watching from the Royal Box, along with England Ashes veterans Joe Root and James Anderson, and must have been astonished by what he was watching as de Minaur swept the first set. Djokovic double-faulted on the very first point of the match and while he followed that with an ace down the centre the tone had been set. Troubled by a gusting wind the Serb continued to struggle with his serve dishing up four double faults in the set, getting fewer than half his first serves in and winning the point on only 18 per cent of his second serves. He also made 16 unforced errors prompting former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe to state on BBC commentary, "I can't remember when I have seen him play a worse set than this, it's literally been years. It's incredible to see him play like this." But that was to give insufficient credit to de Minaur. His first serve accuracy was even worse but there were no double faults and he backed his second serve to the extent he won 75 per cent of points on it. His trademark scurrying seemed even more effective than usual, covering the grass with extraordinary speed but arriving at the ball with the composure and poise to deliver some superb passing shots and drop volleys. While the first set was a mind-blowing walkover what followed was a lot more competitive. The sun came out, the wind dropped, and Djokovic found his rhythm. But de Minaur was equal to the challenge. Djokovic claimed the second set but it took him more than an hour as the pair traded breaks of serve and he had to save a break point when serving for the set. The third stanza was studded with magnificent shots from both, with each applauding the other. But Djokovic secured the first break, in the ninth game, and served out. The Australian would not go quietly, snagging an early break to race into a 3-0 lead in the fourth set. But at 4-1 he failed to take a break point and that proved crucial. The end came quickly as Djokovic broke, and broke again. De Minaur was warmly cheered as he left court, with Djokovic leading the applause, but it was another case of so near, but so far.


Mint
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Novak Djokovic beats Alex de Minaur in Wimbledon 2025 Round of 16; stays in quest for 25th Grand Slam title
Novak Djokovic, the seven-time Wimbledon champion, showcased his grass-court mastery in a close round of 16 match against Australia's Alex de Minaur. The Serbian, seeded sixth, entered Centre Court, having recently celebrated his 100th Wimbledon singles victory. His ability to neutralize de Minaur's speed set the tone for a match that highlights why he remains a formidable force at 38. Djokovic claimed win with 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. The match began with Alex de Minaur claiming the first set by 6-1. However, Novak Djokovic bounced back and won the next two sets with 6-4 each. The game became more dramatic when Alex took the lead 4-2 in the fourth set. Djokovic's game plan was a masterclass in adaptability as he then turned the tables again to clinch the win with 6-4 in the final set. Facing a player who had previously defeated him at the 2024 United Cup, Djokovic displayed the mental toughness that has defined his 24 Grand Slam titles. De Minaur, eager to erase the memory of his 2024 Wimbledon withdrawal due to a hip injury, pushed hard. But Djokovic's ability to elevate his game at crucial moments, evident in a stunning backhand volley winner, frustrated the Australian. The Serbian's focus under pressure ensured he advanced to the quarterfinals, keeping his quest for the 25th Grand Slam and an eighth Wimbledon title alive. Djokovic moves closer to equaling Roger Federer's record of eight Wimbledon titles. His next opponent will test his resilience, but the Serbian's performance against de Minaur signals he is in prime form. Australian Open: Champion (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023) French Open: Champion (2016, 2021, 2023) Wimbledon: Champion (2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) US Open: Champion (2011, 2015, 2018, 2023)


The Citizen
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
De Minaur targeting upset victory over Djokovic at Wimbledon
Djokovic has won two of the three matches he has previously played against De Minaur. Serbian icon Novak Djokovic will be confident of reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Monday, but he will have to get past Australia's Alex de Minaur in what could be a tight fourth-round battle at the All England Club. Djokovic, the No 6 seed, will turn out as the favourite to progress, based on his impressive record at the annual grass court Grand Slam. Among his 24 Grand Slam titles, seven have been earned at Wimbledon, and though the 38-year-old legend hasn't won the prestigious tournament since 2022, he has reached the final at the last six successive editions. De Minaur hasn't got anything close to the career record boasted by Djokovic, but he too will believe he can book his place in the quarterfinals. The Australian has reached five Grand Slam quarterfinals, including last year's Wimbledon tournament where he handed Djokovic a walkover victory after withdrawing due to a hip injury. Novak Djokovic during his third-round match at Wimbledon last week. Picture:Head-to-head record The two players have met three times in their careers, with Djokovic winning twice, though De Minaur beat his more esteemed opponent in straight sets in last year's United Cup quarterfinals in Perth, which will give him confidence going into Monday's match. As expected, there's not much to gain by backing Djokovic, with Betway offering 1.13 for the Serb to secure victory. There is more cash to be won, however, if De Minaur comes out on top, with 5.00 on offer for the Australian to win. Djokovic and De Minaur are first up on centre court on Monday, with their fourth-round match starting at 2.30pm (SA time). Please note these Betway odds are correct at the time of publishing.