Novak Djokovic Finally Breaks Free of Roger Federer’s Wimbledon Curse in a Dominant Showdown

Novak Djokovic faced an immediate challenge against the 11th seed as blustery conditions disrupted his early game. Even the BBC commentator John McEnroe called it the “worst set” Djokovic has played in years after De Minaur took the first set 6-1. But Djokovic quickly regained his composure and mounted a strong comeback. He won the next three sets 6-4, 6-4, and 6-4, reaching his 16th Wimbledon quarterfinal. With Roger Federer watching from the stands, the tension was high. Yet, Nole pushed through, giving a special nod to his former rival!

After the match, Djokovic expressed relief at advancing but was even happier about something else. He said, “It’s probably the first time he’s watched me and I won the match! The last couple I lost, so it’s good to break the curse!” The Djoker saw the moment and seized it!

For those unfamiliar, the “Roger Federer curse” is a lighthearted, self-deprecating joke Djokovic made. Before his recent win over Alex de Minaur, he noticed he often lost matches when Federer was in the stands.

In 2023, Roger Federer returned to Centre Court as a spectator, and Djokovic lost the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz—a shocking upset that ended his winning streak. Fans and pundits soon noticed a pattern: whenever Federer watched from the Royal Box, Djokovic seemed to falter. Early in this match, it looked like the curse might strike again.

Djokovic looked in trouble from the start against de Minaur, winning just one game and dropping the first set 6-1. Afterward, he admitted he “didn’t feel the ball.” He then struggled to match de Minaur’s pace early on. Nole also admitted he was running out of ideas: “I didn’t have many solutions but I managed to reset myself. It was kind of a tough game to close out the second set. Perhaps that was a momentum shift where I just felt like, ‘OK, I am back in the game.'”

The next two sets turned into a fierce battle, with both players trading strong shots. Despite some unforced errors, Djokovic’s serve fired six aces. That boost helped him take the second and third sets 6-4, 6-4, firmly turning the match in his favor. What a turnaround!

And while McEnroe was initially unsure if the Serb would claim victory after the first set. Of course, he took a playful jab at Federer’s courtside reactions, which didn’t go unnoticed.

John calls out Federer on his reaction to Novak Djokovic

While Alex de Minaur blasted through the first set 6-1, Djokovic stumbled with 16 unforced errors. John McEnroe couldn’t resist joking that Federer probably wished Djokovic had played that poorly when they faced off at Wimbledon. “This is incredible to see him play like this. Let’s hang on here a second; that’s why it’s best of five,” McEnroe said on BBC commentary. “Roger Federer took the shades off because he’s like, ‘Wait a minute, I can’t believe this. Where was this when I played him?’”

If you’re not familiar, Federer and Djokovic share one of tennis’s most epic rivalries, especially at Wimbledon. They’ve clashed 50 times, with Djokovic leading 27–23 overall and 3–1 on Centre Court. Their legendary 2019 final stretched nearly five hours, where Nole saved two championship points to win in a historic fifth-set tiebreak.

He also beat Federer in the 2014 and 2015 Wimbledon finals, often ending Federer’s fairy-tale runs. Roger represents Wimbledon’s classic elegance, while Djokovic’s grit has shaped its modern era, usually at Federer’s expense.

Today, Djokovic was pulled into a marathon 19-minute, nine-deuce game before the Aussie broke back. Federer was spotted leaning over to chat with his wife, Mirka, during the nail-biting moment. But Nole bounced back, breaking again after a 34-shot rally—the longest point of the tournament—and fired up the Centre Court crowd with an energetic arm wave.

Now, as Novak Djokovic moves into the quarterfinals, all eyes are on the seven-time champ as he gears up to face Flavio Cobolli. What’s next for Nole?

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