Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have both eased past their opponents to set up a highly anticipated clash for the men’s singles championship at Wimbledon.
In Friday’s first semifinal, Djokovic swept aside Jannik Sinner to reach his ninth Wimbledon final – and his 35th final at all Grand Slam tournaments, more than any man or woman in tennis history.
The Serbian superstar’s 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over the Italian also allowed him to close in on a record-tying eighth title at Wimbledon and fifth in a row.
“The third set could have gone his way,” said the 36-year-old Djokovic, who will meet top-ranked Alcaraz, a 20-year-old from Spain, for the trophy on Sunday. “It was really, really just a lot of pressure.”
Later, Alcaraz raced to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev.
While Djokovic is pursuing a 24th Grand Slam singles championship, Alcaraz seeks his second after winning the US Open in September.
Djokovic overwhelmed Alcaraz in the French Open semifinals last month before beating Casper Ruud in the final.
“I believe I can beat Djokovic,” Alcaraz said after his match on Friday.
“Everyone knows the legend he is. I will fight. I will believe in myself. There’s no time to be afraid, no time to be tired.”
Alcaraz is the third Spaniard to reach the Wimbledon men’s singles final after Manuel Santana and Rafa Nadal and the fourth youngest in the professional era.
On Saturday, 2022 runner-up Ons Jabeur, from Tunisia will face Marketa Vondrousova for the women’s championship. The Czech is the first unseeded woman to reach the Wimbledon final since US tennis legend Billie Jean King in 1963.
