This victory marks Djokovic's 14th Wimbledon semifinal appearance. Before closing out the match, Djokovic missed two match points, including a concerning slip on the second opportunity. However, he recovered to secure the win after three hours and 11 minutes.

"A bad fall, but it's something you have to accept on grass," Djokovic said. "I'm quite surprised I haven't fallen before this year, because the way I move and slide on grass with constant changes in speed makes me prone to falling. Today is an example. I'll have to see the physiotherapist for a check-up."

Cobolli (left) congratulates Djokovic after their Wimbledon quarterfinal match on Centre Court at the All England Club, London, England on 9/7. Photo: Reuters

Cobolli (left) congratulates Djokovic after their Wimbledon quarterfinal match on Centre Court at the All England Club, London, England on 9/7. Photo: Reuters

The late-match struggle wasn't the only challenge Djokovic faced against a resilient Cobolli, who consistently hit deep shots. In the first set, Djokovic led 5-3 and served in the ninth game, but couldn't capitalize, eventually trailing Cobolli in the tie-break. Djokovic saved a set point with a forehand winner, but Cobolli prevailed 8-6.

Djokovic rebounded in the second set, improving his first-serve percentage to 83%, losing only one point on serve. He also minimized errors with just two unforced errors, allowing him to control the baseline and take the set.

In the following set, Cobolli rallied for about 20 minutes to tie the score at 5-5. However, the Italian player lacked composure in the crucial subsequent game, losing his serve and giving Djokovic the third set. The balanced and tense play continued into the fourth set. The difference came in the ninth game when Djokovic won thanks to Cobolli's volley into the net.

"Practicing and playing an official match are always different. Flavio played at a very high level today," Djokovic said of Cobolli. "I was quite surprised by his serve; it was extremely fast. Flavio is talented and has a well-rounded skill set. He's someone we'll be talking about a lot in the future."

With his 102nd Wimbledon victory, Djokovic reached his 52nd Grand Slam semifinal. He will face world number one Jannik Sinner, who defeated Ben Shelton 7-6, 6-4, 6-4. Sinner won their last encounter, in the Roland Garros semifinal one month ago.

Vy Anh