Novak Djokovic has offered his reaction to equalling Roger Federer’s Grand Slam semi-final record and has fired a fresh warning to his Wimbledon title rivals following his quarter-final win over Russian star Andrey Rublev.
Djokovic is the strong favourite to win Wimbledon this year as those left standing in the draw look to pull off a huge shock against the 23-time major champion.
World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz is already dreaming of a showdown in the final while Djokovic next faces eighth-seed Jannik Sinner in the last four.
Djokovic, who is a seven-time Wimbledon winner and has won the last four Championships, was quizzed about the pressure of being the favourite following his four-set victory over Rublev.
‘I love the pressure [of being the one to beat] – it’s true!’ Djokovic said. ‘Any tennis player wants to be in that position where everyone wants to beat you.
‘It’s a privilege, as Billie Jean King said. Pressure is part of what we do. It’s never going to go away regardless of how many matches or Grand Slams you win.
‘It awakens the most beautiful emotions in me and it motivates me beyond what I’ve ever dreamed of and inspires me to play my best tennis.
‘I know they want to get a scalp and win but it ain’t happening still.’
A successful defence of his Wimbledon title would allow Djokovic a fresh shot of securing a historic calendar Grand Slam following his triumphs at the French Open and Australian Open already this year.
Meanwhile, Djokovic’s win over Rublev means he has matched Roger Federer’s record of reaching 46 Grand Slam semi-finals.
‘In terms of the numbers, thank you for bringing them up but they’re just numbers at the end of the day,’ Djokovic added. ‘Especially during the tournament, I don’t like to spend too much time thinking about statistics. It’s a tournament that is active for me and I’m still in it.
‘That’s all I’m thinking about right now. All I’m thinking about is directing my attention to my next match.
‘It’s only going to get tougher I know that but I like the way I played today, the energy on the court also, so hopefully I can have another win in a few days’ time.’
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