Tennis - Defending champion Alcaraz advances to Wimbledon Final
Title defender Carlos Alcaraz made it to the final at Wimbledon again after defeating Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals. The 21-year-old Spaniard, who is now in his fourth Grand Slam final, will face either Novak Djokovic or Italian outsider Lorenzo Musetti on Sunday. Alcaraz won the French Open just a month ago by defeating Alexander Zverev in the final.
On Saturday (3:00 PM MESZ/Prime), Jasmine Paolini will try to secure the first Italian victory at Wimbledon ever for the women. The French Open finalist is aiming for her first Grand Slam title against Barbora Krejcikova. For the Czech player, it's about her second Major triumph after Paris in 2021.
Warning for Medvedev
Alcaraz's semifinal victory against Medvedev could be a good omen for him. A year ago at the same venue, Alcaraz defeated Medvedev in straight sets and went on to challenge Djokovic in a thrilling five-set final.
The 15,000 spectators on Centre Court saw a weaker start from the Spanish exceptional player. However, Alcaraz regained his form in the latter stages of the match.
The two semifinalists provided a fluctuating and intriguing first set with four break points each. Alcaraz tried to disrupt Medvedev's rhythm by varying the tempo. However, he made more uncharacteristic errors than usual. His first serve was seldom seen.
The atmosphere heated up briefly when Medvedev received a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct from referee Eva Asderaki during a changeover at the end of the first set. The umpire called for the supervisor because Medvedev had apparently fled. Alcaraz had just secured the break to lead 4-5, and he had fought back from a 2-5 deficit. The umpire ended the point with a call that the ball had bounced twice before Medvedev reached the stop ball.
Alcaraz shows his class
Medvedev took the first set, and he dominated the tiebreak decisively. However, the match soon turned around. Alcaraz responded to the set deficit by raising his level of play. He overcame his issues with his own serve and played more aggressively.
Alcaraz took the second and third service games early in sets two and three, setting the stage for a 2-1 lead. Medvedev gave up another break in the fourth set, and it seemed like an easy win for Alcaraz. Medvedev fought back, but Alcaraz was unstoppable and won after 2 hours and 55 minutes.
Following his semifinal victory, Carlos Alcaraz is set to meet either Novak Djokovic or Lorenzo Musetti in the Wimbledon final on Sunday. Last month, Alcaraz clinched his first French Open title by defeating Alexander Zverev in the final.
Saturday sees Jasmine Paolini aiming for the first Italian women's victory at Wimbledon against Barbora Krejcikova, who is eyeing her second Major title after Paris in 2021.
Alcaraz's semifinal win against Medvedev at Wimbledon last year might bode well for him, as he had previously defeated him in straight sets and reached the final.
The 15,000 spectators on Centre Court witnessed a weaker start from Alcaraz, but he regained his form, proving his class in the latter stages of the match.
Medvedev received a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct from the referee during a changeover, following a controversial call that resulted in Alcaraz securing a game-winning break.
Both players provided a thrilling first set with several break points each, with Alcaraz attempting to disrupt Medvedev's rhythm by varying the tempo.
Germany's Alexander Zverev is just one of several high-profile players knocked out by Alcaraz this season, as he seeks to continue his impressive run in the International tennis circuit.
The two semifinalists offered a fluctuating and intriguing match, with Medvedev successfully defending a tiebreak in the first set before Alcaraz took control and secured his victory after a long and hard-fought match.
