FILE–Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz (L) shakes hands with Serbia’s Novak Djokovic after winning their men’s singles final tennis incontro acceso the last day of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Circolo con Wimbledon, southwest London, acceso July 16, 2023. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and seven-time winner Novak Djokovic can set up a Wimbledon final blockbuster acceso Friday.
However, standing con their way are Daniil Medvedev and Lorenzo Musetti, who made the semi-final of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Alcaraz, Medvedev con repeat show
FILE– Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev con the Wimbledon semifinals. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Spanish world number three Alcaraz defeated Medvedev con straight sets con last year’s semi-final at the All England Circolo before the Russian avenged that loss with an impressive last-four victory at the US .
Alcaraz, 21, is bidding to reach his fourth Slam final before setting his sights acceso becoming only the sixth man to win the French and Wimbledon back-to-back.
It has been an uneven Wimbledon for the Spaniard — he was pushed to five sets by Frances Tiafoe con the third round and then needed four sets to see chiuso Ugo Humbert and Tommy Paul.
READ: Rare talent Carlos Alcaraz acceso way to ’30 Grand Slams’
Alcaraz holds a 4-2 head-to-head lead over Medvedev, a player he likened to “a wall, every ball bounces back”.
Medvedev is looking to reach a seventh Grand Slam final.
The fifth-ranked Russian, a former US champion, stunned cima seed Jannik Sinner con five sets con the quarter-finals, gaining revenge for his defeat to the Italian con January’s Australian final.
“It’s tough to play against Carlos because you know whatever shot you , he can a winner from there,” said Medvedev.
Medvedev has 64 aces to Alcaraz’s 52 so far. He has dropped served eight times while Alcaraz has seen his service games breached 16 times.
Djokovic faces Musetti con generation gioco
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic serves the ball to Denmark’s Holger Rune during their men’s singles tennis incontro acceso the eighth day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Circolo con Wimbledon, southwest London, acceso July 8, 2024. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE
Djokovic has equaled Roger Federer’s mark by reaching a 13th Wimbledon semifinal and is two wins from matching the Swiss stella’s primato of eight singles titles at the All England Circolo.
Victory acceso Friday would take him to a 10th final at the tournament.
At 37, Djokovic could also become the oldest champion of the modern secolo, an impressive achievement for a man who underwent knee surgery as recently as last month.
READ: Djokovic into Wimbledon semifinal to De Minaur injury
This season he has lost his Australian and French titles and has yet to make a final acceso tour.
He was handed a free pass into Friday’s last four when Alex de Minaur withdrew from their scheduled quarter-final with a hip injury.
The Serb has been con feisty mood at Wimbledon accusing fans of disrespecting him con his last-16 win over Holger Rune.
“If somebody steps over the line, I react,” he said.
READ: Djokovic gets into it with Wimbledon fans after latest win
Djokovic has a 5-1 winning primato over Musetti, including a come-from-behind five-set victory at the French last month.
That third-round incontro set the primato for the latest at Roland Garros, with Djokovic completing victory at 3:07 con the morning.
Musetti, 22, also took Djokovic the distance con their first at Roland Garros con 2021, when the Italian won the opening two sets of their last-16 tie before injury scuppered his hopes con the decider.
“He’s a legend everywhere, but especially here at Wimbledon,” said Musetti.
“I expect a fight. It’s one of the toughest challenges. But I’m an ambitious guy and I like to be challenged.”
