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The “Big Four” era in tennis is a thing of the past, but Novak Djokovic is still at the top of the game even as his rivals have declined and eventually retired. In fact, no image proves Djokovic's longevity more than the one on Monday when Roger Federer sat in the Royal Box on Centre Court to watch the Serbian legend play his fourth round match at Wimbledon.
Of course, Federer was one of Djokovic's chief rivals during his career, along with Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, but now they are all retired and watching the 24-time Grand Slam champion continue to fight for the biggest titles in the sport.
Djokovic, the No. 6 seed in these championships, didn't have it all his own way during a tight fourth-round encounter against No. 11 seed Alex de Minaur, but he eventually came through in four sets, 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4.
After the match, Djokovic joked with Federer about breaking the curse of the Swiss watching him as a spectator during his post-match interview.
This moment between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. 😂#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/ejgJqqMt6O
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 7, 2025
“It's probably the first time he's watching me and I've won the match,” Djokovic said with a laugh. “The last couple I lost, so good to break the curse!
“No, it's great. Obviously great to have Roger, a huge champion and someone I admired and respected a lot. We shared the stage for so many years and it's great to have him back at his most successful and favorite tournament, no doubt.”
Of course, Djokovic is referencing the last two finals at Wimbledon, both of which he lost against Carlos Alcaraz. Now, Djokovic is finally on the board with Federer in the stands.
Now, Djokovic is into the quarterfinals and is three wins away from his 25th Grand Slam title and his eighth at Wimbledon, which would cement him as the unquestioned greatest of all time in the sport. He will take on No. 22 seed Flavio Cobolli in his next match, who will be playing in his first career Grand Slam quarterfinal.
