Novak Djokovic fell to his knees after controversial Wimbledon moment vs Jannik Sinner

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic was left astonished by the umpire's actions during one clash against Jannik Sinner at SW19. And he even fell to his knees in disbelief following a particularly controversial decision during the iconic encounter.

It all unfolded back in 2023 when Djokovic met Sinner in a high-stakes semi-final. The Serb was in control and led by a set and a break, when the umpire unexpectedly penalised him for hindrance, specifically for grunting too loudly following one of his shots.

After sending a backhand down the line, Djokovic emitted a shout that seemed to come just a fraction late, just as Sinner was focused on his return shot. This triggered umpire Richard Haigh to rule the outburst as unsporting, leaving Djokovic visibly baffled.

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In a display of disbelief, he sank to his haunches, eyes wide, looking from his coaching team back to the official in astonishment. He then approached Haigh, seeking clarification with an amazed expression as he asked: "What are you doing?"

Despite the controversy, Djokovic wasn't shaken enough to derail his match and wrapped up a straight-sets victory to set up a final against Carlos Alcaraz. Two years on, however, it was Sinner's day for redemption as he ousted Djokovic on Friday to book his own spot in the Wimbledon showdown against Alcaraz.

In discussion about the 2023 incident, there were questions raised regarding the timing of Djokovic's grunt, which came after his strike was complete. Nonetheless, commentary circles largely concurred the umpire's call was unusual, to say the least.

"Horrible, horrible call," said John McEnroe on BBC commentary. "Sinner's ball went back in court and dropped a foot from baseline. How much of a hindrance could it have been?

"It is one thing if Sinner lifts his game, that's great, but not when the umpire gets in the middle of it. Obviously, this umpire wanted his name in the paper. Fortunately, Novak held. It would have been a shame."

British tennis ace Liam Broady took to social media and slammed the decision as "horrendous." He suggested these kinds of plays happen "all the time" but are never called like they were on this occasion.

American Taylor Fritz did not immediately think of Djokovic when the topic of exaggerated or delayed grunts came to the fore. However, he did urge officials to be more vigilant when it came to enforcing these particular laws.

Four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman said at the time: "So rarely do you see a hindrance. Sometimes in doubles if they are talking you might get it, but in a situation like this, in the semis of a Grand Slam, it was so unexpected."

Friday's semi-final witnessed a complete reversal compared to the last time Djokovic and Sinner faced off on this stage. This time around, it was Sinner's turn to advance on the back of a straight-sets win, albeit with less controversy.

Setting his sights on Centre Court for Sunday, Sinner is ready for his maiden Wimbledon final appearance. And he too will face off against familiar foe Alcaraz, looking to even the odds after his French Open final loss to the Spaniard.