Carlos Alcaraz earned himself a shot at back-to-back Wimbledon titles as he once again got the better of Daniil Medvedev in a semi-final at SW19.
Medvedev took the opening set, bettering his efforts of a year when he was swatted aside by Alcaraz in their last-four clash, but the Spaniard came charging back to seal a 6-7 6-3 6-4 6-4 win and keep his hopes of a fourth Grand Slam title alive. Fifth seed Medvedev was perhaps fortunate the match did not come to a premature conclusion, after a first-set outburst towards the umpire led only to a code violation rather than a default.
Three players have beaten Alcaraz on grass, Medvedev the founding member of that exclusive club after his second-round Wimbledon win in 2021, but he could not became the first to defeat the 21-year-old twice. Instead it is now over to Novak Djokovic or Lorenzo Musetti in Sunday’s final, to attempt to add their names to the list of Medvedev, Jannik Sinner and Jack Draper, and to put an end to Alcaraz’s perfect record in Grand Slam finals.
It could prove to be the first leg of a memorable double for Spanish sport on Sunday, though Alcaraz was jokingly booed on Centre Court as he brought up the Euro 2024 final against England.
"I feel like I am not new anymore,” he said of reaching another final.
"I know how I feel before the final I have been in this position before - I will try to do the things that I didn't do last year and be better. I will also try the things that went well - it will be a good day for Spanish people as well!"
As the boos rang out, he said: "I didn't say Spain was going to win!”
A seven-minute opening hold from Medvedev was a sign of things to come in a lengthy opening set. The Russian edged in front to lead 3-1, breaking to love as Alcaraz’s forehand gifted a succession of unforced errors, but there was an immediate answer.
Alcaraz saw three break points come and go but not four, his lob just about good enough as Medvedev made a mess of a smash. The problems for both on serve continued, though, Medvedev taking charge again in the very next game to break for a 4-2 advantage.
They exchanged holds until Medvedev stepped up to serve for the set, but he could not do so. He thought he had got to an Alcaraz drop shot, only for the umpire to deem it had already bounced twice, and Medvedev was handed a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct after angrily responding. The supervisor was called onto court and the Russian escaped with just that warning.
A tie-break followed and it flashed by in a hurry for Alcaraz, Medvedev supreme in regaining his cool and taking it 7-1.
It was a loose set from Alcaraz, at times too aggressive in his decision-making as the 15 unforced errors showed, but that tally was nearly halved in the second set as the inevitable response came.
Alcaraz whipped a brilliant forehand winner crosscourt to break and lead 3-1, and it was an advantage he never really looked like surrendering. That wasn’t quite the case when a double fault on set point, his second of the game, briefly threatened to let Medvedev back in, but Alcaraz’s first serve made a timely return to level the match up.
The momentum was firmly with the Spaniard and he made the first move in the third set, breaking in the third game as consecutive poor forehands from Medvedev proved costly.
The Russian made 76% of his first serves in the opening set but it was barely more than half in the second and third, and it put him under increasing pressure. Back-to-back double faults very nearly have Alcaraz a double break, but Medvedev battled to a hold to stay in touch at 4-3 down.
Alcaraz had his head in his hands after he tried to swap as smash for a drop shot at the last minute, the ball bouncing before it even got to the net, but he soon brought up three set points and took the second of them to move a step closer to victory.
Alcaraz broke in the opening game of the fourth set, but Medvedev fought back to bring up a first break point for 27 games and he converted it to level at 1-1.
The decisive moment came in the seventh game, Alcaraz’s combination of brutal forehands and delicate drop shots bringing up a couple of break points, the second of which was taken with a flat backhand crosscourt. After a succession of holds, Alcaraz stepped up to serve for the match at 5-4 and did not blink in the face of the finish line.
