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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Samuel Lovett, Luke Brown

Wimbledon 2018 - LIVE: Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson vs John Isner - latest score and updates

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal go head to head in their 52 professional encounter in today's Wimbledon semi-final.

The pair have played each more than any other duo in the modern-day game, but after injury lay-offs and fitness doubts, the outcome of this afternoon's last-four clash is anyone’s guess.

In the other men's semi-final, Kevin Anderson will be hoping to build upon his quarter-final win over Roger Federer as he goes up against John Isner.

Follow all the live action below:


Live Updates

20:13
*Djokovic 0-0 Nadal
 
Djokovic draws first blood in this match with a trademark forehand winner down the line. Lovely stuff, as ever. He tries his luck with a sweeping, crosscourt smash on the next point but it lands wide. 15-15.
 
An unforced error from the Spaniard follows before he fires down a stinging ace but Djokovic rallies and the game quickly moves to deuce. Jesus, here we go again folks.
20:09
*Djokovic 0-0 Nadal
 
Nadal to serve.
20:04
And breathe...
 
Onto the next men's semi-final! Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are currently out on Centre Court warming up. We're moments away from what promises to be another epic!
 
Just a reminder: 11pm is the cut-off for tonight's second semi-final. If it's not wrapped up by then, the match will be suspended until tomorrow.
19:57
Anderson has just been speaking to the BBC. He sounded pretty emotional. Having known Isner for 10-plus years, he was very apologetic as he paid homage to the American. A very humble and sincere man. The South African also called for a review into the current format which doesn't include a tiebreak in the final set. With the final just over 24 hours away, Anderson will clearly be at a disadvantage heading into that. Definitely something for the Championships to consider at the conclusion of this year's competition.
 
By the way, that final set was 2hr 54mins long. Crikey.
19:48
Game. Set. Match!
Anderson 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 26-24 Isner
 
He's done it! At long last, after so many hours that I've lost count, Kevin Anderson has emerged victorious on Centre Court. It was an unforced error from Isner that settled it, having pushed a forehand stroke wide of the tramlines. He looks crestfallen. Anderson looks shattered and relieved. The South African has got 24 hours to recover for a final against either Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal. Rather you than me, mate.
19:47
Anderson 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 25-24 Isner*
 
A nervy start from Anderson who, after rushing to the T, guides a soft volley into the net. A groan breaks out from the crowd. Surely not? 
 
The South African steadies himself and after another tense rally, he tries the same tactic but, thankfully, this time it pays off as Isner pulls wide a forehand.
 
Anderson then fires down an ace and an unreturnable serve to make it 40-15. Match point.
19:44
*Anderson 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 25-24 Isner
 
Holy smokes. At 15-0 down, the right-handed Anderson slips at the baseline but immediately bounces back up, grabbing the racket with his left hand to make the return. Cracking stuff. Isner was clearly affected/stunned/amazed, conceding the point with a shanked backhand. Anderson pushes on, taking the game to 40-0. Three break points. He concedes the first... but, yes, he's done it! He finally breaks after Isner nets from deep. I dare to say it but this game could be approaching its dramatic denouement.
19:41
Anderson 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 24-24 Isner*
 
Yawn. A service winner and an ace from Anderson takes the game to 30-0. Things liven up on the next point as a crosscourt rally springs into life but it's Isner who takes his eye off the ball first, pulling a backhand stroke wide of the tramlines. Anderson goes on to take the final point for game.
19:39
Jack Draper is one win away from becoming the first British boys' champion at Wimbledon for more than half a century after an epic semi-final victory over Colombia's Nicolas Mejia.

While John Isner and Kevin Anderson continue to toil away on Centre Court, Draper finally prevailed 7-6 (7/5) 6-7 (6/8) 19-17 after four hours and 23 minutes on his 10th match point. He will face top seed Tseng Chun-hsin in the final on Sunday.
 
The last British boy to reach the singles final was Liam Broady in 2011 but there has not been a home winner since 1962, when Stanley Matthews Jr, son of the famous footballer, defeated Alex Metreveli.
19:38
*Anderson 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 23-24 Isner
 
The South African quickly moves to 30-0 following two unforced errors from Isner. But then it's Anderson's turn to slip-up, twice, as he goes long on his backhand and forehand. Another mistake follows before he once again finds the net from his baseline. Isner holds.
19:35
Anderson 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 23-23 Isner*
 
Sigh. Another ace from Anderson. Another point. 15-0. Isner then comes closer to drawing level but his forehand smash finds the net. He's looking jaded now. Is he possibly suffering from cramp? 
 
Anderson rattles through his service, finishing on an ace - obviously.
 
19:30
Anderson* 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 22-23 Isner
 
Great start from Anderson! Two snarling forehand winners hit from the baseline see him race to 0-30. Isner is looking very, very tired...
 
But then another wild mishit from Anderson! He then screws up a backhand with Isner hitting a winner of his own on the next point.
 
Anderson gambles on the next point but overcooks his forehand. We remain on serve, 
19:26
Anderson 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 22-22 Isner*
 
Ace. Boom. 15-0. Except Isner doesn't like it. He challenges ... and HawkEye shows possibly the closest line call I've ever seen! That was in by a fraction of a fraction of an inch. The crowd goes wild, naturally.
 
A slice of luck for Anderson, but then a slice of luck for Isner, too: his backhand return snorts up the line and catches Anderson unawares. Did he mean it? Who knows. Frankly, he won't care.
 
Anderson wins the next two points though and his groundstrokes are just as impressive now as they were six hours ago. He holds with, yup, an ace. Number 45.
19:22
Anderson* 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 21-22 Isner
 
An unforced error and a double fault from Isner! But he responds with yet another 135mp/h serve - in the seventh hour of this match, no less. And then a 126mp/h serve on the next point, to get back to 30-all. Incredible.
 
Anderson then has a real chance to grab a break point when he attacks the net on the next point, but he rips his backhand into the net. His 22nd unforced error of this match. Fortunately for him Isner does pretty much the exact same thing on the next point: deuce.
 
My goodness, Anderson then has another fine chance to get to break point and again he messes up his backhand. Only this time he gets too much on it, belting his crosscourt shot long. Isner belts another big serve down and holds. 
 
 
19:19
Anderson 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 21-21 Isner*
 
Watching Isner is painful at the moment. Anderson punches a forehand into the corner and Isner just about reaches it, dollying the ball back high over the net. But he simply doesn't have it in him to turn and scamper back into court position. 15-0.
 
Anderson then screws up a backhand, but has the better of his opponent in the next couple of rallies, going 40-15 up with a smart backhand volley at the net. Isner loses it with an errant forehand which looks, actually, to have been in. He decides against challenging. We go on. 
19:17
Anderson vs Isner isn't the only epic going down tonight at the All England Club...
 
British junior Jack Draper is currently deep into a third and final set in his semi-final match against Colombia's Nicolas Mejia, with the score currently tied at 14-14 games each.
 
They've obviously put something in the water.
19:15
Anderson* 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-6 (9-11) 6-4 20-21 Isner
 
Isner looks shattered out there. Any ball that isn't landing remotely in his vicinity he simply isn't bothering to chase down. But what does it matter when he is still doing the business on his serve? His first two are simply unreturnable and Anderson can only scrape them into the net. A backhand error gets him on the board, but Isner finishes it off with a service winner and big forehand, which the South African belts back long. 

Please allow a moment for the blog to load.

Order of Play - Friday 13 July

Centre Court

1pm: (8) Kevin Anderson (Rsa) v (9) John Isner (USA), (12) Novak Djokovic (Ser) v (2) Rafael Nadal (Spa)

Court 1

1pm: (12) Nicole Melichar (USA) & Kveta Peschke (Cze) v (6) Gabriela Dabrowski (Can) & Yi Fan Xu (Chn), Alicja Rosolska (Pol) & Abigail Spears (USA) v (3) Barbora Krejcikova (Cze) & Katerina Siniakova (Cze), Jay Clarke (Gbr) & Harriet Dart (Gbr) v Jamie Murray (Gbr) & Victoria Azarenka (Blr)

Court 3

11.30am: Mansour Bahrami (Irn) & Goran Ivanisevic (Cro) v Jeremy Bates (Gbr) & Andrew Castle (Gbr), Conchita Martinez (Spa) & Barbara Schett (Aut) v Lindsay Davenport (USA) & Mary Joe Fernandez (USA), Jack Draper (Gbr) v (5) Nicolas Mejia (Col), (9) Michael Venus (Nzl) & Katarina Srebotnik (Slo) v (11) Alexander Peya (Aut) & Nicole Melichar (USA)

Court 8

11.30am: (10) Xiyu Wang (Chn) v Leonie Kung (Swi), Iga Swiatek (Pol) v (4) Xin Yu Wang (Chn), (4) Maria Lourdes Carle (Arg) & Cori Gauff (USA) v Victoria Allen (Gbr) & Destinee Martins (Gbr), (1) Xin Yu Wang (Chn) & Xiyu Wang (Chn) v (5) Joanna Garland (Tpe) & En Shuo Liang (Tpe)

Court 12

11.30am: Arnaud Clement (Fra) & Miles MacLagan (Gbr) v Greg Rusedski (Gbr) & Fabrice Santoro (Fra), (1) Chun Hsin Tseng (Tpe) v Tao Mu (Chn), Rinky Hijikata (Aus) & Naoki Tajima (Jpn) v Matheus Pucinelli De Almeida (Bra) & Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva (Bra), Clara Burel (Fra) & Diane Parry (Fra) v Dalayna Hewitt (USA) & Peyton Stearns (USA), Brandon Nakashima (USA) & Tyler Zink (USA) v (6) Nicolas Mejia (Col) & Ondrej Styler (Cze)

Court 18

11.30am: Richard Krajicek (Ned) & Mark Petchey (Gbr) v Henri Leconte (Fra) & Cedric Pioline (Fra), Tracy Austin (USA) & Anne Keothavong (Gbr) v Kim Clijsters (Bel) & Rennae Stubbs (Aus), Yanki Erel (Tur) & Otto Virtanen (Fin) v (3) Hugo Gaston (Fra) & Clement Tabur (Fra), (7) Georgia Drummy (Irl) & Alexa Noel (USA) v (2) Catherine McNally (USA) & Whitney Osuigwe (USA), James Story (Gbr) & Harry Wendelken (Gbr) v (2) Aidan McHugh (Gbr) & Timofey Skatov (Kaz)

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