Novak Djokovic forced to make big change after suffering injury in Wimbledon win

Novak Djokovic has had to scrap a practice session following a harsh tumble during his victory over Flavio Cobolli, sparking concerns about his condition leading up to the Wimbledon semi-finals.

The 38 year old triumphed over Cobolli's valiant effort, paving the way for a semi-final clash with Jannik Sinner on Friday. By winning, Djokovic surpassed Roger Federer's record of 13 men's semi-finals at Wimbledon, having come back from a set behind to defeat Cobolli with scores of 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.

Djokovic is now bracing for a formidable opponent in world number one Sinner, who has bested him in their last four encounters, including semi-final bouts at both the Australian and French Opens.

Yet, there's now uncertainty surrounding the Serbian star's readiness after the BBC reported that he's had to forgo his scheduled training due to the mishap he experienced on Centre Court on Wednesday evening.

BBC presenter Clare Balding relayed during Thursday's broadcast: "And news on Novak Djokovic is that he has cancelled his first training session.", reports Wales Online.

She added, "You'll remember he had that nasty-looking fall yesterday in the closing stages of his match against Flavio Cobolli."

Balding continued, "He has cancelled his first training session. He can reschedule that at any point."

Supporters are eager to see the seven-time Wimbledon champion recover in time to chase his eighth title at the prestigious tournament, where only Carlos Alcaraz has managed to defeat him since 2017.

Djokovic remained prone on the turf for a few moments following his tumble during the match against the Italian, before cautiously getting up and completing the victory.

Speaking post-match, he emphasised his focus on recuperation, stating: "I just try to focus on my recovery right now, getting my body in shape for a very physical battle,".

He acknowledged the challenge ahead, expressing his determination: "Hopefully I can deliver the level and be able to stay with him for potentially five sets. It's going to take the best of me at the moment to beat Jannik. I know that."

Djokovic highlighted his current priorities: "So that's the only thing I'm thinking about right now, just getting myself physically and mentally in the right state so I can fight with him for as long as it's necessary."

Reflecting on the incident, he described the fall as severe: "It was a nasty fall. It was very awkward. That happens on the grass. I've had quite a few of those throughout my grass-court career."

He candidly discussed the potential after-effects: "Obviously, body is not the same today like it was before, so I guess the real impact or effect of what happened I will feel tomorrow. So let's see."

Looking forward, Djokovic expressed hope for his condition: "I'm hoping the next 24, 48 hours that the severity of what was happening on the court and what happened is not too bad, that I'll be able to play at my best and free of pain in two days."

Cobolli, making his debut in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam – a stark contrast to his opponent's experience – impressed the audience with his resilience and powerful forehand, hinting at future successes.

Djokovic took a moment to commend his opponent: "First I have to say he congratulations to Flavio for an amazing tournament but also a great battle today,".

"He played at a really high level. He's such a talented and skilful player, definitely one of the guys that we'll be seeing in the future much more.

"It means the world to me that I'm still able at 38 to play in the final stages of Wimbledon."