Novak Djokovic may not have started well in his Wimbledon fourth-round match, but he finished strong and showed why he is one of the greatest in tennis history. The 24-time Grand Slam winner defeated Australia’s Alex de Minaur in four sets—1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4—on Centre Court on Monday.

The match lasted 3 hours and 19 minutes. Djokovic lost the first set badly but then came back strongly in the next three sets. This victory sent him into the quarter-finals at Wimbledon for the 16th time in his career.

But what made the moment extra special was who was watching him—his long-time rival, Roger Federer. Federer was sitting in the Royal Box, and Djokovic made sure to mention him in his post-match speech.

“I mean, it's probably the first time he's actually watching me—and I ended up winning the match. I'd lost the previous couple, so it was good to break that curse. It's fantastic to have Roger here: a huge champion, someone I've admired and respected deeply,” Djokovic said.

The crowd cheered loudly after the comment. Federer responded with a warm smile, showing the friendship and mutual respect between the two tennis legends.

Djokovic continued, “We've shared the stage for so many years, and it's wonderful to have him back at his favourite tournament and in this setting. He's by far the most successful player here—without question.”

Tough match with moments of frustration

The match wasn’t easy for Djokovic. De Minaur played really well in the first set, winning it 6-1 and using his loopy backhand to break Djokovic’s rhythm. At that point, it looked like Djokovic might lose again in front of Federer.

But Djokovic stayed calm, found his rhythm, and won the next two sets 6-4, 6-4. In the fourth set, De Minaur broke early and started playing like he did in the first set. Djokovic even looked frustrated at times and shouted towards his support team.

However, the Serbian champion showed his mental strength again. He won 18 points in a row and five straight games to win the fourth set and seal the match.

After the win, Djokovic joked again about Federer, this time talking about his own style of play.

“Sometimes I wish I had a serve-and-volley and nice touch from the gentleman that's standing there. That would help,” he said, looking towards Federer.

Djokovic to face Flavio Cobolli in quarter-finals

Djokovic’s family—his wife, Jelena, and their children—were seen smiling and celebrating his win from the stands.

In the quarter-finals, Djokovic will face 23-year-old Flavio Cobolli from Italy. Cobolli defeated former US Open champion Marin Cilic to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time.

With this win, Djokovic not only moved one step closer to another Wimbledon title but also ended what he jokingly called the "curse" of losing matches with Federer watching.

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