Novak Djokovic lay motionless face down on Centre Court's worn baseline for five seconds after a dramatic fall whilst playing against Flavio Cobolli at Wimbledon on Wednesday.
The crowd gasped before falling silent as chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore and Cobolli himself checked on the champion.
The fall occurred when Djokovic tried moving in two directions simultaneously whilst chasing Cobolli's outstanding forehand.
"The real impact of what happened I will feel tomorrow," Djokovic admitted afterwards, describing it as a "nasty" fall.
Novak Djokovic lay motionless face down on Centre Court's worn baseline for five seconds after a dramatic fall whilst playing against Flavio Cobolli at Wimbledon on Wednesday
PA
"I'm hoping in the next 24, 48 hours that the severity is not too bad, that I'll be able to play at my best and free of pain in two days."
Despite the setback, Djokovic demonstrated his championship mentality by winning the next two points to secure victory.
The 23-year-old Cobolli from Florence had played exceptionally, taking the first set in a tie-break with powerful groundstrokes and serving.
At 2-2 in the second set, Djokovic elevated his game dramatically. He won an astonishing 24 of the next 27 points, completely turning the match around.
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Novak Djokovic is in a #Wimbledon semi-final for the 14th time 🤯 pic.twitter.com/iuUG2wtbsM
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Cobolli, who had entered the tournament with just nine previous grass court matches, received a standing ovation from the Centre Court crowd.
He had defended brilliantly throughout the opening set, surviving deuce in four of his final five service games before clinching the tie-break.
This victory marked the 54th grand slam match out of 94 that Djokovic has won after losing the first set.
His record in such situations has been particularly dominant recently, winning 20 out of 26 matches since the start of the 2021 season.
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Whilst conventional wisdom suggests that at 38, Djokovic should avoid these extended battles to preserve his body, his relationship with pressure appears different. Rather than being drained by stressful situations, he seems to thrive on them.
The Serbian's ability to turn matches around after dropping the opening set has become one of his defining characteristics.
It demonstrates not just his physical resilience but his extraordinary mental fortitude when facing adversity on tennis's biggest stages.
The semi-final will pit Djokovic against Jannik Sinner, who defeated him comprehensively at the French Open last month.
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"He was just the better player when the moments were important," Djokovic acknowledged about their recent encounter.
Despite that loss, Djokovic remains focused on the opportunity ahead.
"I get another opportunity. For me, this is what counts actually the most," he added.
Novak Djokovic suffered an injury scare during his Wimbledon win on Wednesday
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"The only thing I'm thinking about right now is getting myself physically and mentally in the right state so I can fight with him for as long as it's necessary."
The match promises to be gruelling, with Sinner likely to test Djokovic's physical limits through the demanding forces of potentially five sets.
Whether the Serbian's body will withstand another punishing encounter remains uncertain.