Novak Djokovic once again surprised the tennis world, demonstrating at 39 years old why he remains one of the greatest names in the sport. After an epic duel lasting five hours and fifteen minutes, Djokovic defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4) in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon on Tuesday, July 7, securing a place in the semi-finals against defending champion Jannik Sinner.
The Serbian faced an opponent 15 years his junior, but showed immense resilience in front of the Centre Court crowd, which witnessed a true battle from the first set. At the end of the match, Djokovic couldn't resist making a light-hearted comparison with Lionel Messi, who is also 39 years old and was starring on another stage that same day: Atlanta Stadium, where Argentina faced Egypt in the World Cup. “It would be great to play 90 minutes like him!” Djokovic joked in the press conference when asked about Messi's achievement, who continues to score goals and lead his national team in crucial matches at this stage of his career.
While Djokovic shone at Wimbledon, Messi was the central figure in one of the most dramatic comebacks of this World Cup. Argentina, the defending champions, were trailing 2-0 against Egypt, with goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico, with just 20 minutes remaining. Messi, aware that this could be his last appearance in a World Cup, did not give up. In the 79th minute, he assisted Cristian Romero for Argentina's first goal, and just minutes later, he was decisive again, contributing to the equalizer. In stoppage time, Enzo Fernandez confirmed the turnaround with a precise header. With this result, Messi has now scored eight goals in just five matches in this World Cup.
Argentina's journey in this competition has been marked by moments of pure inspiration, including Messi's first hat-trick in World Cup knockout stages against Algeria, and goals against Austria, Jordan, Cape Verde, and now Egypt. The victory secured the South American team a place in the quarter-finals against Switzerland, who eliminated Colombia in a penalty shootout.
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However, the match between Argentina and Egypt was not without controversy. Several figures in world football accused the refereeing team of favoring Messi and company, particularly after a dubious incident in the Argentine area that did not result in a penalty for Egypt. Additionally, for the first time in World Cup history, the “X” gesture – a protocol to report potential cases of racism – was made by the Egyptian coach, but it only resulted in a yellow card.
Back to tennis, Djokovic now has 15 appearances in the Wimbledon semi-finals, improving his record against Felix Auger-Aliassime to 2-1. In the press conference, Djokovic emphasized: “I won this match with a racket and a lot of heart. I had to manage a lot of nerves and deal with extreme tension, as one only feels in this kind of match. In the end, it could have gone either way. The result reflects the balance of this match well. In the super tie-break, everything was up for grabs.”
Already thinking about the next challenge, Djokovic confesses: “It’s these moments that still make me play tennis, without a doubt. I wish it were the final, so I wouldn’t have to worry about my body tomorrow, but I’m happy to have won. It has a special meaning when you win like this. I told my kids to go to bed after the fourth set, but they didn’t want to listen. Good thing, because it was one of the best matches I’ve participated in on this court in my career.”
Now, Djokovic is preparing to face Jannik Sinner, the world number one, in a clash that promises to be explosive, after breaking a five-match losing streak against the Italian by defeating him in the final of the Australian Open earlier this year. The stage is set for another memorable chapter at Wimbledon, with Djokovic proving that age is just a number when it comes to sports legends.
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