Novak Djokovic’s quest for greatness knows no bounds. The Serbian Maestro, already holding seven Wimbledon titles, is gunning for his next one. And so far, he’s inching closer to it. After a few bumps this year, Djokovic is proving he’s still got the magic touch. His performance against Flavio Cobolli on July 9 solidified that. He hit several milestones with this win, but the biggest one? Chris Evert is absolutely thrilled about it!

On Centre Court, Novak delivered a masterclass against the Italian rising star, earning his ticket to his 14th Wimbledon semifinal. Despite being a set down and enduring a nasty slip that made the audience gasp, Nole clinched the match with a 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 victory. Not only is he now a step closer to matching his former rival Roger Federer with an eighth title here, but he’s also joined Chris Evert in a truly unique feat.

Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, pointed out the incredible achievement on X after the match: “crazy 🤪 this will be Djoker @DjokerNole 52nd semis in majors ties @ChrissieEvert as the most of all time.” Isn’t that amazing to think about? She was ecstatic, responding to Gilbert with a heartfelt, “Thank you Brad!❤️”

Evert’s remarkable consistency led her to an astonishing 52 Grand Slam semifinals in 56 appearances. Starting with her 1971 US Open debut, she reached at least the semifinals in 34 consecutive majors. This dominance, especially on clay, allowed her to consistently reach the latter stages of tournaments, highlighting her unwavering competitive drive and tactical skill throughout her career, ultimately earning her 18 Grand Slam singles titles. Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, also snagged a couple more milestones with this win.

Before this win, Novak and Roger Federer were tied with 13 appearances in the Wimbledon semis. Federer has the next-most overall with 46, followed by Rafael Nadal with 38.

Not just that, but Djokovic also became the second-oldest man to reach the final four at the All England Club, with only Ken Rosewall in 1974 (39 years, 246 days) being older. It’s certainly a huge honor he can now add to his never-ending list of achievements. So, how does he feel?

Novak Djokovic talks “numbers” on his latest achievements

Even Djokovic seemed a bit stunned by the flood of milestones after this win. At his press conference, he admitted, “A lot of numbers, a lot of numbers in the head,” still chasing that elusive 25th Grand Slam to surpass Margaret Court. “Wimbledon was, is, and always will be the most special tournament that we have in our sport, at least in my opinion, and I think in many players’ opinion. It means the world to me that I’m still able at 38 to play in the final stages.”

The match wasn’t without drama. Novak Djokovic served for the first set at 5-3 but got broken at love. Later, he was just a point away from sealing that set before Cobolli fought back. Then came the moment that shocked everyone—on his second match point, the 38-year-old’s right foot slipped out from under him, and he went full splits, crashing onto the grass and landing flat on his stomach.

But true to form, Novak shook it off and took the next two points to seal the win. In his on-court interview, Djokovic assured he was fine, noting that it’s all part of the game. But he’s cautious: “You’re expected to fall and have this kind of situation, so it did come at an awkward moment, but somehow I managed to find a good serve and pull it out. Obviously, I’m gonna visit this subject now with my physio, and hopefully, I’ll be well in two days,” he said.

This victory also marked his 20th win in his last 21 Grand Slam quarterfinal matches, a streak going strong since 2018. Plus, it was the milestone 1,050th tour-level win of his career.

Up next is a showdown with Jannik Sinner on Friday, July 11. Djokovic beat the Italian at this very stage in the 2023 Wimbledon semis, but Sinner has won their last three meetings—in the 2025 French Open semis, and in 2024 at the Shanghai Masters finals and Australian Open semis.

Will Novak Djokovic turn the tide this time? Share your thoughts in the comments! And don’t forget to catch all the Wimbledon action on our Live Blog!