Novak Djokovic overcame a disastrous start to defeat Alex De Minaur 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court, securing his place in a 16th Wimbledon quarter-final.
The Serbian's triumph came under the watchful eye of Roger Federer, who observed from the Royal Box as Djokovic recovered from losing the opening set in just 24 minutes.
The 11th-seeded De Minaur dominated early proceedings in blustery conditions, racing through the first set as Djokovic struggled to find his rhythm.
However, the 38-year-old Serbian mounted a determined comeback, winning the next three sets to advance and edge closer to matching Federer's record of eight Wimbledon men's singles titles.
Novak Djokovic called out Roger Federer after his win over Alex De Minaur
PA
Following his victory, Djokovic addressed the unusual circumstances of winning with Federer in attendance.
"It's probably the first time he's watching me and I won the match! The last couple I lost, so it's good to break the curse!" Djokovic said during his on-court interview.
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The Serbian was referring to recent defeats when Federer had been present, including his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the 2023 Wimbledon final and to Jannik Sinner at last year's Shanghai Masters.
"It's great to have Roger here, someone I admired and respected a lot. It's great to have him back at his most successful and favourite tournament, no doubt," Djokovic added.
The opening set represented Djokovic's poorest performance in recent memory, with BBC commentator John McEnroe describing it as "the worst set of tennis Djokovic has played in years".
Djokovic later acknowledged his difficulties, stating: "I didn't feel the ball so well in the first set but I got used to the conditions and started to find my forehand."
The swirling wind on Centre Court posed particular challenges, with De Minaur initially managing the conditions more effectively.
A crucial momentum shift occurred when Djokovic closed out the second set, which he described as "a tough game" that helped him feel "back in the game".
Djokovic's victory brings him to 101 singles wins at Wimbledon, moving within four victories of Federer's record 105 match wins at the tournament.
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Novak Djokovic went a set down before winning three sets in a row to land himself in the Wimbledon quarter-final
Reuters
The Serbian remains on course to equal Federer's tally of eight Wimbledon men's singles titles, with victory on Sunday securing that achievement.
His 16 quarter-final appearances at the All England Club stand second only to Federer's 18 in men's tennis history.
Reflecting on their rivalry, Djokovic noted: "We've shared the stage for so many years," acknowledging the Swiss champion's enduring influence on the sport and his continued presence at tennis's most prestigious tournament.
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