Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur has been forced to withdraw from his highly anticipated Wimbledon quarter-final clash against Novak Djokovic due to a hip injury.
The 25-year-old De Minaur, seeded ninth, felt a sharp pain during his victory over Frenchman Arthur Fils on Monday. A subsequent scan confirmed a hip issue that carries a high risk of aggravation if he were to compete.
“I am devastated to pull out due to a hip injury,” said De Minaur. “I felt a loud crack during the last points of my match against Fils.”
This withdrawal hands Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, a walkover into the semi-finals. Djokovic will now face either Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti or American Taylor Fritz for a spot in the final.
De Minaur’s recovery time is estimated to be between three and six weeks. The setback hinders his chances of achieving a career-best Wimbledon finish and disrupts Djokovic’s pursuit of a record-tying eighth Wimbledon title and 21st Grand Slam overall.
