Wimbledon semi-finals: What records await Djokovic if he gets past Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner leads their head-to-head 5-4, having won their last four encounters. A win would give Novak Djokovic a shot at 25th Grand Slam and an elusive 8th Wimbledon title. 

Wimbledon 2025: A classic showdown is on the cards on Friday, July 11 as Novak Djokovic will put his bid for Grand Slam history on the line against world number one Jannik Sinner for a place in the final. In his seventh Grand Slam semi-final, a victory for Australian Open champion Sinner would send him through to his first Wimbledon final. But for an ageing Djokovic, several historic milestones now hang within reach.

Although Djokovic beat Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2023 and the quarter-finals in 2022, the Italian got his revenge in the 2024 Australian Open and this year's French Open. Those semi-final victories helped Sinner build a 5-4 edge in his nine encounters with Djokovic, who has lost the last four meetings. Djokovic is looking to reach an 11th Wimbledon final and his 38th Grand Slam showpiece, yet he finds himself in the unusual position of being an All England Club underdog. Djokovic has made every Wimbledon final since 2018 and his last semi-final loss at the tournament came against Roger Federer in 2012.

Roger Federer's records

Djokovic has now reached 14 Wimbledon semis, surpassing Roger Federer’s record of 13 appearances. A victory against Sinner would equal Federer's Open era record for most consecutive Wimbledon men's finals for a seventh time in a row. If he wins the final, he would also tally Federer's tally of eight Wimbledon championships. Djokovic had defeated Federer to get the championship thrice, in 2014, 2015 and 2019.

25th Grand Slam

A victory at Wimbledon would propel him to a historic 25 Grand Slams, becoming the outright record-holder. He currently matches the record held by Margaret Court, an Australian and former world number one in women’s tennis. Court's 13 championships had came before the Open Era, which began in 1968. Beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in the last two Wimbledon finals, Djokovic hasn't won a Grand Slam since moving level with Margaret Court on 24 major titles by clinching the 2023 US Open.

Djokovic 'ready to go the distance'

Ahead of the match, Djokovic has warned Sinner that he is ready to go the distance. He admitted that Alcaraz and Sinner are the leaders of tennis today, stating that it was a challenge he was looking forward to. “I lost in straight sets to Jannik in the semis of Roland Garros. I think I played a solid match. I could have played better, but he was just better player when the moments were important/ So I get another opportunity. For me, this is what counts actually the most. Being in the last stages of Grand Slams and playing against the best player in the world right now,” he said.

Djokovic further stated he had to be at his best to beat Sinner, and that his focus right now was on getting his body in shape for the physical battle. “Hopefully I can deliver the level and be able to stay with him for potentially five sets, because it's going to take the best of me at the moment to beat Jannik. It was a nasty fall. It was very awkward. That happens on the grass. I've had quite a few of those throughout my grass court career,” he said.