The former world number one and seven-time champion, Novak Djokovic, has gone straight through the semi-finals of Wimbledon in London.

The 37-year-old who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title was due to face the 9th-ranked Australian, Alex de Minaur, on Thursday in the quarter-finals.

De Minaur has however withdrawn from the grass-court Grand Slam after suffering a hip injury against Arthur Fils of France.

This has led to Djokovic being handed a walkover into the last four.

Di Minaur confirmed that due to an injury and subsequent scans he has decided to withdraw from Wimbledon.

“It’s obviously not an announcement I wanted to make by any means,” said the 25-year-old Australian.

“I am devastated to pull out due to a hip injury, a little tear of the fibre cartilage that kind of is at the end of or connects to the adductor.

“I felt a loud crack during the last three-points of my match against Fils and got a scan yesterday and it confirmed that this was the injury and with a high risk of making it worse if I was to step on court.”

Djokovic will face the winner between Lorenzo Musetti of Italy and Taylor Fritz of the USA in the semi-final.

The first semi-final was confirmed on Tuesday and it will see the reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain facing the former world number one, Daniil Medvedev, of Russia in the last four of the men's singles.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport