Wimbledon 2024 LIVE: Tennis updates as Novak Djokovic given walkover

The Australian No 1, enjoying the best season of his career, sustained an injury on match point against Arthur Fils in his fourth-round match on Monday.

De Minaur’s persona immediately changed and despite playing down the hip injury in his press conference afterwards, his withdrawal was confirmed on Wednesday lunchtime.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic therefore receives a walkover to Friday’s semi-finals, where he will play either Taylor Fritz or Lorenzo Musetti.

Musetti clips a forehand return long. 15-0.

Lovely court craft from the Italian on this point, though, and he sets up a nice volleyed winner. 15-15.

The pair move to 30-30, before Musetti displays more terrific tennis to earn a break point!

And with it, a set point… but his service return drifts long. Deuce. Set point saved.

And more fine serving, plus an aggressive forehand, helps Fritz to a crucial hold of serve!

A double-fault by Musetti hands Fritz a shot at breaking back, at 0-30…

And Fritz brings up three break points with a brilliant backhand pass! Perfectly placed. 0-40.

A high backhand volley into the open court seals the instant break-back for Fritz! Wow…

Fritz drags a backhand narrowly wide. 0-15.

Ooh! Now the American snatches at a high forehand, pulling it into the net. 0-30.

A really important point now… and Fritz wins it, as Musetti chips a forehand return into the net. 30-15.

This time, the Italian tries the same return but puts it long. 30-30.

OH! Fritz gets a tweener horribly wrong, sending it well wide, and Musetti has a break point at 3-4!

AND HE GETS IT! Fritz shouts in frustration, as Musetti shouts with a very different emotion!

Fritz hooks a backhand into the net. 15-0.

30-0, as Musetti follows a powerful serve with a drop shot from the net.

The Italian moves to 40-0 as Fritz fires long.

And Musetti completes a hold to love.

Deep return of serve from Musetti, and Fritz is off-balance as he strikes into the net. 0-15.

Clinical volleying from Fritz now to level it up at 15-15.

WOW! Fritz with a brilliant volleyed lob to beat Musetti! That’s outstanding tennis. 30-15.

Now the American serves right into the corner, and Musetti’s reply floats long. 40-15.

This time, it’s Fritz who goes long, overshooting a forehand. 40-30.

Wonderful ace, sliced down the T, as Fritz holds.

Fritz with a fairly routine hold of serve, as we move to 2-2 in the second set.

Now 2-3, as Musetti holds after a far-from-routine game on his serve!

Lots of deuces before the Italian gets it done.

The Elena Rybakina experience rarely lasts long. Which is not to say you don’t get value for money when watching the Kazakh star – quite the opposite. She’s a whirling dervish of entertainment.

It’s just that, especially on grass, she has no interest in engaging in long rallies, preferring a ‘no guts, no glory’, ‘blink-and-you’ll-miss-her’ approach to most points which means the winner and unforced error counts both ratchet up pretty quickly. When she’s more hit than miss – as she was en route to the Wimbledon title in 2022 and appears to be again this year – it’s tough to work out how to stop her.

Elina Svitolina tried in this quarter-final, she really did, but her opponent’s point-ending flashes of racquet were generally finding the lines rather than the grass beyond. Combined with a ferocious serve that pumped down six aces to reach a tournament-high total of 31 and saw her win 84 per cent of points on first serve, the result was a ruthless 6-3, 6-2 win in just 61 minutes.

Read Luke Baker’s full report from Centre Court

Musetti with a much-needed, comfortable hold of serve, after he gave up a break last time.

He consolidates his own break of Fritz’s serve, holding to 15.

Fritz with a wild forehand, lassoed into the tramlines 0-15.

Now the American hits long after a brief baseline rally, and it’s 0-30. A chance of a break here for Musetti!

This time it’s Musetti who overshoots on a forehand, however. 15-30.

Now the pair trade crosscourt forehands, until Fritz aims one up the line and goes long! 15-40.

Double break point for Musetti… And there’s the break, as Fritz goes long again!