So there we go. What a great day that was! Only Shapovalov- Kachanov was quite as brilliant as we’d hoped, but the other three games were extremely enjoyable too, we saw Hubert Hurkacz establish himself as a player of seriousness - perhaps – and Roger Federer do the reverse - perhaps. Our semis will be:
Djokovic [1] v Shapovalov [10]
Berrettini [7] v Hurkacz [14]
Thanks for your company and comments - see you again tomorrow for the women’s semis. Ta-ra!
Berrettini is lost for words, then says “Everything is crazy right now”. He thinks they played a great match, hopes the crowd enjoys it, and notes that they’re great friends. When they quarantined in Australia, they spent two weeks together, so know each other well – “Good luck for him but I’m happy for me!”
He’s not sure if he’s playing better than he ever has, noting that there were parts of the match in which Felix played better than him, and knows that Hurkacz is playing really well. He wishes him luck, in unspoken parentheses, says “Good luck against me”.
In the end, Berrettini was just too powerful and too resolute, his serve and forehand too violent and cruel. I can’t wait to see what the best-ever returner makes of it, even though I don’t yet know that they’ll meet. Sure, Djokovic inched by him on clay, but this might be different.
Berrettini [7] beats Auger-Aliassime [16] 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-3!
Berrettini seals it with an ace and walks off, arms aloft ... not so fast. His serve clipped the net cord. But another monster out wide, a terrifying forehand, and that’s him into the semis!
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Auger-Aliassime thinks he’s dropped a forehand onto the baseline, but it’s called out and when he challenges we see that it was out – by more than a fibre. An ace follows and Auger-Aliassime stares at the line but can’t ask to see what’s what – we learn that the ball was good, just, then a service winner screeches down to raise three match points...
Excellent from Auger-Aliassime, who holds to love and forces Berrettini to serve for it at 5-3. I wonder, is his serve great because he’s mentally solid, or is he mentally solid because he knows his serve is great?
If Berrettini starts missing a few first serves, Auger-Aliassime needs to climb in, and a second helps him establish in the first rally, his slice encouraging Berrettini to net. And he does so again with a volley; suddenly it’s 0-30. But can you guess what happens next? Yup, a service winner, then another, then an ace, then a service winner. It’s absolutely rrrrridiculous, and it makes you wonder how it might discomfit Djokovic should both men make the final. Meantime, he leads 5-2 and is one game away from a meeting with Hubert Hurkacz.
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Auger-Aliassime is trying everything, coming to the net again, but again his volleying lets him down and gives Berrettini 15-30. Berrettini, though, goes long on the forehand, a service winner makes 40-30 and he quickly closes to 2-4.
Berrettini in on one – you can see that he feels unstoppable serving. An ace takes him to 40-0, another banger out wide facilitates the clean-up forehand, and in seconds Auger-Aliassime has to go again at 1-4. Good luck, old mate.
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For the sake of our gratification, Auger-Aliassime needed to win that third set. Him losing it has killed a spectacle that was just building – i don’t think he’s the game or gas to win this from behind, but in front, it was a different thing. And from 30-0, he opts not to challenge a call that would’ve given him 40-0, a double follows, and now he’s in trouble again. But he does brilliantly to crack a backhand winner down the line, then incite Berrettini to net, and he’s still alive at 1-3 having stopped the rot.
Berrettini makes 30-0 and Auger-Aliassime holds his racket perpendicular to the ground, resting his chin on its grip - it looks like he’s accepting the inevitability. But seconds later he’s at 30-all ... but seconds later, a serve and a forehand means he’s at 40-30, and another forehand forces him to try a backhand winner, which drops just long. 3-0 Berretini, and from 5-5 in set three, he’s won five straight games.
And Berrettini breaks! He gets lucky in a way, because with Auger-Aliassime at the net, he should pass, but his forehand is a poor one ... except the volley is poorer. Berrettini leads 2-0 in the fourth, the match on his racket!
Berrettini makes 0-15 and his deportment tells us he thinks this is his time. He sticks in the next rally via slice, Auger-Aliassime nets, and might this be the end? No! he responds with an ace! Yes! He goes long with a forehand! This is it coming up...
Berrettini holds easily for 1-0 and he’s starting to assert himself on the court, flexing and strutting. Auger-Aliassime, on the other hand, looks a little Diego Forlorn.
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It’s a huge ask for Felix to win two on the bike against this serve and forehand but he did it against Zverev. I guess the difference is that Berrettini’s second serve isn’t anywhere near as weak, and he’s not used to producing the best performance of his life twice in three days.
Alliteration! I’m going to assume Hoger is Brasilian, or that I am.
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Berrettini [7] takes the third set 7-5 to lead Auger-Aliassime [16] 2-1!
Another forehand pins Auger-Aliassime in the backhand corner – that’s the difference really – and he panics, trying to whack a hail Mary winner down the line that’s got no chance. He’ll wonder how he lost that because he played the better tennis, but Berrettini won the big points – much easier, as Calvin noted earlier, when you have the two biggest weapons.
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At 15-all, Auger-Aliassime sends down a double – just, the second fault clipped the next and dropped just long – and then Berrettini punishes a pass down the line to raise two set points! As it goes, Auger-Aliassime was silly to go to the forehand side, but still, the bend to take it in was impressive. Here we go...
Here we go. Aiger-Aliassime gets to 30-all on the Berrettini serve – he’s having more joy than joy is being had. But well in the next rally, he needlessly nets a backhand ... only to play a really good point thereafter, hanging in then finishing it with a big forehand followed by an overhead. Berrettini, though, doesn’t care, quickly closing out from deuce and finishing things with a dangerous forehand – though Auger-Aliassime ought really to have got it back. 6-5 to the Italian in set three.
And here’s an example of it, a love hold, crowned with a drive volley, when serving to stay in the set. 5-5 it is and on we go.
Another decent hold for Berrettini, which gives him 5-4. I’m beginning to wonder if Auger-Aliassime’s returning is good enough to sustain him through five sets against this, though I think his general play is probably better at the moment.
Another decent hold for Auger-Aliassime, who looks the more comfortable of the two at the moment. Thing is, if and when it comes to a breaker, it’s hard to look beyond the lad with the gargantuan serve.
Auger-Aliassime gets to 0-15 and does really well to return a swinging serve out to the backhand. But when Berrettini retorts with a clumping forehand, he slips and for a second it looks nasty, but he’s fine, and Berrettini holds to 15 for a 4-3 lead. In his box, Ajla Tomljanovic covers her eyes, perhaps because someone told her my wife had her hoody first.
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“Is it the end of an era?” wonders Tushar Kataria. “Is this the beginning of the end? Today’s defeat felt like when Federer defeated Sampras for the first time in the 4th round ago. I guess all good things come to an end, but did it have to end like this? I would’ve loved to see Federer winning one last grand slam and bowing out in style, but it seems to be getting tougher.”
Yeah, I remember that too, but I don’t think he’s quite done yet. But to cheer you up, here’s a little essay on him from Joy of Six: ponytails, and while I’m looking for it, Auger-Aliassime holds easily for 3-3.
Auger-Aliassime is inching his way into this, making more of an impact on Berrettini’s serve. I guess he’s getting used to it – for someone as quick as him, time might be all it takes – but though he gets to deuce, he can’t break, and we’re going to be here a while. Berrettini leads 3-2 in set three.
Berrettini hammers a colossal forehand winner for 0-15, but Auger-Aliassime hangs on to his serve, just about. It’s 2-2 in set three.
“I earlier said he was playing like a Top 10 player,” says Arun Narayanan, “but it seems so far away now. That last set was more like 200+ ranked player. Is this going to be Federer’s last ever set at Wimbledon? Love him, hate him, that will be a sad departure indeed.”
I wouldn’t read too much into that third set – Federer should’ve won the tiebreaker, and when he didn’t he knew the jig was up. As I said earlier, I doubt he’s schlepped himself back – he’ll have been to some dark places to make that happen – to lozz it after one bad defeat, and I can’t believe he’d slink off Centre without saying later.
At 15-30, Auger-Aliassime somehow returns an exocet of a serve and Berrettini nets! But that serve. That serve! It’s saves break points, then closes out the game with an ace, right on the outside of the T. He leads 2-1 in set three, and both players are starting to play. I’ve not a clue which way this is going, but I’ve just learnt that they’re mates, which is nice to know – they’re dating sisters, namely the Tomljanovices.
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Anyway, here’s James W again: “As for the last time Djoković lost from two sets up it was against Meltzer at the 2009 French Open. A lifetime.”
It’s mad really. He was 22 then and he’s 34 now, but there’s not a chance that’d happen these days.
Back outside, Berrettini responds to losing set two with a solid hold, but is then yanked back from 0-30 to 30-all. He has a chance to raise break point though, with the initiative at the net, but Auger-Aliassime stretches to return and then a lob drops long. A serve and netted return later, it’s 1-1 and 1-1.
“Re: James W’s comment at 16:26, “ says James Ferguson, “don’t give him too much credit. The nickname ‘Deliciano’ comes from Andy Murray’s mother! See here:”
Yes Judy! I wondered, because he is, but I was surprised I’d not heard it, found nothing on Google, and D is next to F on the keyboard. But I’m glad it exists, even if I’m disappointed we’d not worked it out it by mistake, like Fleming discovering penicillin.
So much so that I wrote an essay about her here.
“I think it was Martina who said something along the lines of ‘It got to the point where my half of the court was very fast and my opponent’s half was very slow,’ tweets @Mysteron_Voice, “and I’m wondering whether Roger is now getting very close to that point himself.”
Ha! I love Martina and hadn’t heard that. It’s like the old scrapper’s mantra, you’re throwing them as hard but they’re not getting there as fast.
Auger-Aliassime wins the second set against Berrettini 7-5 to level the match at 1-1!
He finishes off a love game with an ace, and this is cooking!
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Auger-Aliassime’s problem is his second serve – he’s above 80% when he gets his first go in – but he gets to 15 off one, a big forehand cleaning up after Berrettini is forced wide, and when Berrettini then goes wide with a forehand, he’s two points away. An ace follows, and he’s taking this off the set!
Back on No1, Berrettini’s serving at 5-5 15-30 ... and sticks a forehand into the net! He saves the first break point with a brave second serve into the body ... and the second with a monstrous ace out wide. It is must be so reassuring to know you can do that. But he needs to do it again, because he goes wide with a forehand to hand Auger-Aliassime advantage .... and he can’t! They get involved in a rally, slice to slice, and Berrettini nets! Felix will now serve for set two at 6-5, but he’s not been convincing in that aspect so it’s far from a done deal
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“How likely is it that Federer quietly announces his retirement and goes away for good?” wonders Nikhil Ravi. “Or, is he going to hang in there for one last shot at glory?”
He didn’t leave like someone saying goodbye, and it seems unlikely that he’s put himself through whatever it’s taken to get back – I’m certain it’s beyond our comprehension – to turn it in after one defeat, however comprehensive. My guess is he goes away, works his arse off, and if something similar happens in New York, he takes a view. Though even then, he might want one more go at Wimbledon to say goodbye, or he might want to play as long as he can because he loves it. Some players do, others can’t be doing with not challenging for titles.
“Let’s face it,” emails James W, “Roger at almost 40 after a year out and two knee surgeries with a lack of matches this year did bloody well to get to the quarter finals at all! He should have lost in the first round when slippery grass intervened. Incredible the level he has shown at Wimbledon over the years but this was always gonna happen as he got into his late 30s and kept playing. As Jon Wertheim often says, we should never discount the undefeated head-to-head record of father time.”
Yes, that’s the question isn’t it? Though I think he’d have beaten Mannarino, is is lack of fitness and match sharpness, or is he finished as a force at this level? I don’t think we can be sure, though I do think we can be sure that he’s not winning another major.
It’s such a buzz watching someone realise themselves like Hurkacz just did, all the more so when they come off as pleasant as he does. Maybe he’s a good player in the form of his career, but I think there’s a good chance he’s an excellent player establishing himself as such.
Back on No1, Auger-Aliassime has just saved three break points for 4-4; had he not, it would’ve been very hard to see him coming back, but now he’s bang back in the match.
That really was a dazzlingly brilliant performance. He knew he could do it, so there were no doubts or hesitations, he just went about doing it. I really hope he goes on from here, because he’s got the talent and, based on what we’ve seen these last two days, he’s got the mentality too.
Hurkacz doesn’t know what to say – playing Federer on Centre is a dream come true. He couldn’t have imagined winning a match like this in that style, and thanks the crowd for coming out and cheering – as yesterday, he seems an extremely sound individual. He’s really proud and so happy – he can’t wait for the next match, which will be against Auger-Aliassime or Berrettini.
That is an absolute demolition, and it’s hard to watch, like when you batter your dad for the first time. Might that be the last time we see Federer on Centre Court? Even now, it’s hard to process what he’s done, how good he was and how beautifully he went about it, but what about hubert? Here he is!
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Hurkacz [14] beats Federer [6] 6-3 7-6(4) 6-0!
OH MY ABSOLUTE COMPLETE AND UTTER DAYS!
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Federer flaps a backhand wide - well wide – and Hurkacz has two match points!
Goodness me! A backhand winner down the line gives Hurkacz 0-30; has Federer ever lost a set at Wimbledon 6-0?
If watching Hurkacz become himself wasn’t so affirming, watching Federer lose himself would be painful. He fritters a break point and barely contests the rallies which follow, so Hurkacz leads 5-0 and will now seek a crowning bagel. As the players change ends, the crowd get on their feet.
Back on No1, Auger-Aliassime finds his break under threat, ceding three break points, and a double on 15-40 gives Berrettini 3-3 in set two. If he can find some consistency here, he might just pull away in the next 10 minutes.
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Hubert is taking Roger apart! He directs him along the baseline for a forehand winner to make it 15-40, and if he can close this out, it’s over. And it is! Federer nets a simple forehand, and those two ball-misses in the breaker look like being the turning point. Well, sort of. On the one hand, Hurkacz’s superiority is such that he’d probably have won anyway, but on the other, if Federer wins that set maybe things are different. Either way, it’s 2-0 and 4-0.
He really is! He consolidates to 15 for 3-0, and it’ll take something monumental to ruin things from here. He looks so composed; ultimately, he knows he’s got this.
Hubert’s having it! Federer passes up numerous chances to secure the game and eventually he’s punished! Hurkacz now leads 6-3 7-6(4) 2-0!
“Am I alone in wondering how on earth John ‘Looker’ Inverdale has made his way back into the BBC commentary team,” wonders Steph Cooper. “In 2013, ahead of the final, I had complained to the BBC on two occasions about Inverdale’s horrendous sexism in comments he made about Ms Bartoli, treating her presence in the draw (let alone her positive and winning style) as a running joke through the fortnight. Neither Chris Patten, the chairman of the BBC Trust at the time, nor Tony Hall, the BBC’s DG, offered any defence of Inverdale whatever. We were told that Inverdale had failed to ‘take ownership’ of his remarks, and that it was not possible to sack him only because he wasn’t a BBC employee.
Marion Bartoli was and is a striking looking, beautiful woman. She was a wonderful tennis player, and this year she has been one of the absolute highlights of the BBC R5 Wimbledon team. As so often, Marina Hyde was spot-on here:
Auger-Aliassime sticks in a deuce point – he’s so quick and so graceful, but you need anticipation too – to raise break point. So Berrettini thunders down an ace, so Auger-Aliassime glides a backhand pass down the line, so Berrettini thunders down a service winner. But he can’t keep doing it, and just as I’m watching Federer double fault on game point, Berrettini sticks a forehand into the top of the net and that’s the break! Auger-Aliassime leads 2-1 in set two, first set to Berrettini.
“To be fair, Federer is playing like a top 10 player,” says Arun Narayanan. “But then, any of the top 20 players can defeat a top 10 player today. All except Djokovic, that is. No one can defeat him. Djokovic is evoking the Federer of 2000s, when he reached 19 out of 20 GS finals between the 2005 Wimbledon Championships and the 2010 Australian Open, winning 12 of them. And who defeated him in the semi-finals in the only GS in which he didn’t make it to the finals? A certain Djokovic of course (Aus Open 2008). Federer had Nadal and then Djokovic to challenge and stop him then; ominously, today, Djokovic has no one...”
Yup, he’s showing no signs of deterioration, and will set a mark way beyond the 20.
And from 0-30, he holds in the first game of set three.
In fairness, Hurkacz has been so solid today, just as he was yesterday. Him winning in three seems more likely than him losing in five.
Thanks John, this is Daniel back. It appears old Rodge is in trouble.
Hurkacz takes the second set 7-6, and is two sets up!
A squeal as Rog misses an absolute sitter for a winner, and then there are gasps as he goes 5-3 down. The Swiss master is second best here, and even the SW19 crowd are struggling to get their man into this one. He scoops up a second serve that is blasted home for two set points. And that’s served out.
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Berrettini takes the first set 6-3
It took the eighth set point to get him there. Feels like these lads will be at this for a while.
Federer levels at 1-1 in the tie-break, and is then beaten in an exchange of volleys for Hurkacz to go 2-1 up. A Federer special makes it 2-2 but then a poor volley makes 2-3 in the Pole’s favour.
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Federer desperately needs this game, and wins it with some gritty serving, so Hurkacz must serve out. He is aided by a couple of Fed errors, and it will be a tie-break. The Fed tank is being drained by all this even if the Pole loses the set.
Auger-Aliassime breaks back after an epic game. The Italian had looked very confident against the Canadian but did get a tad excited at three match points. The first two are saved, then the third is netted. A break point is then offered but not taken, then a dodgy bounces catches out Berrettini, and he must face down another break point. Then a set point is lost by a loose backhand, and a break point comes via a double. It’s taken by a punched volley just as the chance looked to have gone.
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Federer gets to 30-30, but Hurkacz’s first serve is a blazer, and he holds on. It’s 5-5.
Federer holds with far more ease than before and now Hurkacz must serve to save the set at 4-5.
Hurkacz serving with power and confidence, and makes short work of levelling the second set at 4-4. Auger-Aliassime holds his serve but it’s still 2-5 in the first set on Court One.
Federer trying to step it up but he’s broken back. It’s up to the Pole to tire him out but the rallies are short, even if he serves out for 2-4. Then comes two wayward shots from Fed, and now make that three for three break points. Oh Roger. The first saved with a serve to the furthest reaches, then the second is taken with a backhand. 3-4 and Hurkacz to serve.
Berrettini is 4-1 up on Auger-Aliassime, and his opponent looks nervous.
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Federer looks to be in prime form, and even serve-volleys to go 30-0 up but then starts to wobble. He’s unhappy about something and lets the ump know in Schweizerdeutsch, but then recovers himself to serve out for 4-1.
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Hurkacz is taken to deuce on his service. The veteran attempts to turn the screw on him but the Pole delivers two decent serves to save himself.
Berrettini v Auger-Aliassime on Court One meanwhile is at 1-1.
A break-back chance soon comes for Hurkacz but a Federer forehand catches the breezes and rolls on. Some fortune to the saver. Hurkacz claims another on deuce, before Federer sets the crowd off again with an angled volley. Then another with a missed shot from Federer, who twice hits into the let cord before getting back to deuce. He follows up with some more net play to take an advantage. But Hurkacz is made of stern stuff, though then falls prey to a drop shot. Finally, Federer sees out the point and it’s 3-0.
Federer breaks back. Hurkacz seems to get caught in the wind and his own adrenaline and coughs up three break points to Federer. The first is saved by Roger overcooking a shot from the baseline, then comes an ace, and a double. Ouch. 0-2.
The Fed fans are still clapping their hero as he goes to 30-0. Hurkacz though hits a falling leaf of a drop shot, and it’s 30-15. Federer though serves out. 1-0 in the second.
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Hurkacz wins the first set 6-3!
Hurkacz getting tied up? He starts nervously but then serves and volleys his way back to 15-15. Then crashes a service winner, then a forehand winner for set point. He’s cruising here, then Federer nets to hand over the first set.
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Federer is not having nearly as much joy, and he serves at 5-2 down. His fans roar him on to 40-0 but gasp at a double fault. Then Hurkacz challenges an ace that comes off the line, and loses. 5-3.
Afternoon, all. It’s breezy out there but that didn’t stop Djoko cruising through.
John Brewin is here to take you through the opening stages of that – and also those of Federer v Hurkacz, where the Pole has just broken for 4-2 in set one.
Next on Centre: Berrettini v Auger-Aliassime.
Looking at the stats, Shapovalov did better in almost every department which, in a way, makes his win even more impressive: he handled an opponent he was superior to wining the big points and going 2-1 up, stayed true to his aggressive approach, and saw him off very nicely at the end.
Shapovalov begins by thanking the crowd, saying there were times he thought Khachanov would run away with it, but the support kept him going. It was hard, he says, having 0-40 and not converting, so he told himself to play every point as hard as possible and says both he and Khachanov deserved to progress. As for what’s coming next, he knows Djokovic is the best in the world, but “everything is possible and “when you look at the scoreboard first thing on Friday, it’ll be zero-zero”. He also notes that “it’s just a tennis match, anything can happen,” and says that he and his team are working hard. He believes, you can feel it through the screen, and he knows he deserves this: this is who he is. Add that to his athleticism and skill, and it’s a heady, potent mix.
Hold tight Khachanov too, who played really well – especially given the tough match he had on Monday. He’ll be back.
Shapovalov [10] beats Khachanov [25] 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-1 6-4!
Khachanov nets and Shapovalov hurls himself to the turf! What a win this is and what a match this was! He played beautifully in the final two sets and never altered his approach, looking to take risks and hit winners; he’s a big danger in the semi and a future superstar.
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One thing you know is that Shapovalov will go for this, and he opens with an ace ... then a double! Pressure! Pressure? Pah! Shapovalov is ripping it here, forehands out wide, and Khachanov kan’t kope, all the more so with that one-two again, a serve out wide then a forehand into the opposite corner. Shapovalov has two match points!
On Centre, Federer invited Kurkacz to serve and they’ve swapped holds.
Khachanov is forced to save another break point at 30-40 – Shapovalov goes long on the return – but on advantage, he sends a backhand cross-court wide, just. Then, on deuce, he finds his way to the net, again, but Shapovalov’s power is too much and he can’t control his volley. Still, he saves another break point only to find himself facing another and this time he’s done for, Shapovalov sending him to hither and yon ... only to go long when anywhere short and it was point over! That is a monumental oversight! He’s 0/6 from break points in this set, 3/18 across the match! But immediately, he forces another ... and Khachanov goes long on the forehand. That’s 5-4, and Shapovalov will shortly return to serve for the match!
“I love how early Shapo takes the backhand,” returns James W. “One of the few left handers with a single handed backhand too. I can only think of Deliciano Lopez as the one other to have one in today’s game.”
Is that a typo? Its a belter.
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This reminds me a bit of the Isner-Anderson semi: although it went 26-24 in the final set, it was obvious Anderson would win for quite some time because he was clearly less tired. Not to the same extent, but Shapovalov has lost three points on serve this set and two of those were doubles. He holds to love for 4-4.
On Centre, Federer and Hurkacz are out.
Khachanov has looked less so, but at 15-0 he screeches a disgusting backhand pass cross-court for a winner. But from 40-0 he winds up at 40-30, and though he then secures the game, these difficult holds must be taking a toll. He leads 4-3.
Shapovalov needs to put that last game away because he’ll be fuming with how he tossed it ... and that’s exactly what he does, holding to 15 for 3-3 in the decider. He’s looking strong.
And have a look! A forehand winner, then a backhand to the corner followed by an overhead, and at 0-30 Shapovalov has a sniff. Khachanov’s tired now, and yanked to the net for a drop, those stone hands can only pat into the net; as Martina notes, when you’ve not played a volley in 10 days you’ll struggle. But then he comes in again and plays two belters to save the first break point! Probably because he’s tired and needs short points, but it works, and then a wild forehand return gives him 40-30. Key point coming up and again Shapovalov is wild, a return soaring long. Khachanov cleans up swiftly, five points in a row giving him 3-2 – an achievement he celebrates with requisite gusto.
But it’s Shapovalov who’s finding things easier, and he rushes through a much easier hold for 2-2.
Meantime, on No1, Khachanov hangs onto his serve to 30 and that’s a sizeable hold. He leads 2-1 in the decider.
Next on Centre: Roger Federer v Hubert Hurkacz.
Djokovic says it was a solid performance – he started well, but after that Fucsovics fought back and one break was enough for each set. He then talks about how much he loves the sport, “with my body and soul”, having played since the age of four, so when he hears of his achievements - a list of which is read to him – it feels surreal, but he thanks Rishi Persad for helping his confidence. He notes that both Khachanov and Shapovalov are looking great – “we’re all looking great, we’re in the semi-finals” – then, when prompted, though as if he’d forget, discusses his happiness as playing in front of a capacity crowd for the first time.
Fucsovics gets an ovation too, and he’s earned it. He could easily have shrunk in that first set but he didn’t, and actually missed chances to make even more of a match of it.
Djokovic [1] beats Fucsovics 6-3 6-4 6-4!
He’s just so good, and reaches his 41st major semi-final! He plays wither Khachanov or Shapovalov next, and does his whipping up each stand thing, which makes him extremely loveable.
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Khachanov takes the first game of the final set and leaps himself into life on the way back to his chair. But he still played a five-setter just two days ago and Martina reckons he’s bushed, wondering if Shapovalov has noticed.
Well done Marton Fucsovics! (Why do we always use fore and surnames in such sentences? I think it’s a rhythm thing, so we need the syllables, but I’m not sure). Anyway, He holds, so Djokovic will serve for the match at 5-4 in the third.
Shapovalov [10] wins the fourth set against Khachanov [25] 6-1, to level the match at 2-2!
Here comes the decider, and Shapovalov has his tail right up.
John Inverdale wonders if we won’t realise how good Djokovic is till he retires, unlike Hafa and Hoger. But surely no one is in any doubt, he just not as loved as they are – oh, and he holds for 5-3, so Fucsoivcs must now hold to stay in the match.
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Meantime, Fucsovics struggles through another deuce hold, and trails 4-3 in set three.
Shapovalov arranges himself a break point for 5-1, but a big serve quickly confiscates it to make deuce; no matter. A fine backhand return from Shapovalov, backhand down the line, drops onto the corner and is too good, then Khachanov swipes long! Shapovalov will now serve for set four, and if he botcehs it will still get another go.
Fucsovics is also having at it, but again he can’t convert his break points – there are two of them. He’s really close, just missing lines as Djokovic hits inside them, but at the end of it, Djokovic has 4-2 and he has a temper. While that was going in, Shapovalov consolidated to love.
Now then! Khachanov hasn’t won a point on his second serve so far this set, and a double at 0-30 risks the advantage he just flogged himself to acquire. He saves the first break point, but forced to rely on another second serve, he goes long on the backhand and Shapovalov now leads 3-1 in set four! This looks like going to a decider!
Goodness me, we’ve got two more matches to come!
Meanwhile, on No1, Shapovalov is punching the air like he’s just scored a worldy after somehow retrieving a shot from behind him and around his arse, sending a lob that Khachanov meets with a tweener. He responds with a deep volley, Khachanov nets, and they end up at deuce on the Khachanov serve ... but Khachanov closes out beautifully, and this is a brilliant match now; we’re at that elusive juncture, where both players are playing well at the same time. It’s one game all, Khachanov by two sets to one.
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Shonuff, he’s facing a break point at 30-40, but Djokovic goes fractionally long with a backhand, then applauds when a fine drop of his is met with an even better one, across the face of the net. An ace follows, and that’s huge hold for 1-2!
I do not fancy Fucsovics’ chances of holding next up.
So Shapovalov takes a break while, on Centre, Djokovic has, so far, retrieved four break-back points, the first three in a row. Credit to Fucsovics, he’s had several opportunities to write this off and hasn’t taken them, but class eventually prevails and he trails 6-3 6-4 2-0.
Looking at the stats for that set, almost all of them are in Shapovalov’s favour, but when it’s tight it comes down to a few points and Khachanov played them better.
Khachanov [25] wins the third set 7-5 to lead Shapovalov [1]0 2-1!
Khachanov struggled to serve out against Korda and he’s struggling to do so here too. A poor backhand hands Shapovalov break-back point, but he strong-stands and makes deuce before closing out, a wild forehand return handing him the set when he would’ve been feeling the pressure.
Oh dear. Another forehand error gives Djokovic 15-40, and seconds later he has his break. Fucsovics now looks extremely displeased with life.
While that was going on, Khachanov broke Shapovalov for 5-4, and will now serve for the third set!
Djokovic wins the second set 6-4 to lead 2-0!
Fucsovics gets himself a sniff at 15-30, but a forehand error – his 20th – extinguishes it if, indeed a sniff can be extinguished. It’s 62 matches since Djokovic lost from a set up; I shudder to think when he did so from two up.
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“Does the Shapovalov shot on set point remind you of this Federer inside-out backhand winner against Djokovic in the Aussie Open in like 2008?” wonders James W. “Again, inside-out backhand winner did not look like the obvious shot, in a pivotal 2nd set tie-break. Yet he did it - and it still looks glorious all these years later.
Ha! This reminds me of some writing advice I once read, that said only name a character Mike Teavee or similar if you’re Roald Dahl, which you’re not.
Oh dear. Pressure tells, Fucsovics goes long, and Djokovic will now serve for set two at 5-4.
It’s getting serious on No1, Shapovalov holding for 5-4 – Khachanov has made 17 winners so far, not bad for the best part of three sets ... and Shapovalov has hit ... 38! Meantime, on Centre, Fucsovics outlasts Djokovic in a long rally for save break point, then immediately finds himself facing another...
And it’s 4-4 on Centre too. Fucsovics is playing with real (yes, as opposed to counterfeit, grammarians) confidence now.
At 30-all, Shapovalov tries a backhand approach that clips the net-cord and dies! This could be the key point of the match coming up, but a nondescript backhand hands it to Khachanov – I’m reminded of a point made on a previous blog, that for the all the aesthetic joy, none of the most reliable ones are one-handed – and though it requires a deuce, Khachanov then disburses a monumental forehand for 4-4.
Fucsovics beat Schwartzman and Rublev to get to this stage, no mean feet whatsoever, and this is a match now. The self-styled fittest man on tour holds to 30, and now trails 6-3 4-3.
On No1, it 3-3 in set three, though Shapovalov has made more winners and fewer unforced errors. And it’s Khachanov who gets 0-30, but a a tremendous body-serve and a fine volley – which follows an excellent serve and backhand – restore parity. From there, Shapovalov closes out well, hollers in celebration, and leads 4-3. This a really good match now, with both players absolutely into it.
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Now it’s Djokovic’s turn to fight to hold serve, forced to deuce before making 2-2. In the process, Fucsovics outlasts him in a long rally, the kind Djokovic almost always wins, and he maintains momentum by serving out to love, the decisive point won via ace. He’s got those comfortable games now, but he can find himself a break?
“Khachanov is just feeling the ball now,” says Martina, as he holds for 2-2. But Shapovalov rushes through another hold, serving his 10th ace and generally twinkling along the baseline and to the net. He’s clearly the better player, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be the best player in this match.
“It’s a ridiculous shot,” returns Calvin on Shapovalov’s set-point behaviour. “There’s no natural angle there for it. “An inside-out backhand from the same half of the court.”
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While Fucsovics is getting there, a hold to 30 sealed with an ace. He leads 2-1 in set two, Djokovic having taken the first 6-3.
Shapovalov goes 2-1 up in set three with his ninth ace, and this match is shaping up into a proper epic.
Fucsovics is starting to win points on Djokovic’s serve, but comfortable holds are still where it’s at for him. Meanwhile, on No1, it’s one set all and one game all.
“That shot on set point from Shapo,” says Calvin Betton. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about when I talk about his match intelligence. What on earth was that on a huge point?”
Goodness me, Djokovic isn’t giving Fucsovics anything for free. But after another slog to and from deuce, he holds his first service-game of set two for 1-0.
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Khachanov [25] wins the second set against Shapovalov [10] 6-3, levelling the match at 1-1!
At 30-all, he was in trouble, but a colossal backhand followed by a rash backhand swiped wide do the trick. In commentary, Martina notes that Shapovalov has a much bigger game than Khachanov, so he shouldn’t getting into a slugfest with him because that’s what his opponent wants. Rather, he needs to use his slice and hands more, because that’s where his advantage is.
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Shapovalov lets out a roar when he closes to 5-3, forcing Khachanov to serve for set two.
Djokovic [1] wins the first set against Fucsovics 6-3!
For a while it looked like being the quickest set ever played, but Fucsovics found something. The question now is whether he work out some comfortable holds, because if he can’t the pressure will soon tell.
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“It’s always life-enhancing,” says Gary Naylor, “to see a five star show and then review it. A perfect balance of entertainment and serious reflection on the challenges of growing up.”
Back on No1, Shapovalov has improved again, retrieving one of Khachanov’s two breaks to lead 6-4 2-4. Ultimately, he’s the better player, so it’s asking a lot for the Russian to win here.
And on the first point of the next game, he outlasts Djokovic to win a 21-stroke rally, the longest of the match so far. They end up at deuce, Fucsovics finding a big serve to save a fifth set point, and as they toggle between game point and break point, he wrongfoots Djokovic, who slips. He seems fine though, and eventually Fucsovics holds for 3-5. Well played him, because not that long ago this looked like an embarrassing start, and though even now, nothing’s coming easy, he’s informed the world that this is a match.
Have a look at Márton! He saves two set points – Djokovic helps him with a double – and breaks through deuce! He’s in the match now, and though it’s probably too late for this set – he’s now serving at 2-5 – he’ll feel like he belongs on the same court.
Khachanov, meanwhile, has improved since tossing the first set, and consolidates for 3-0 then battles to deuce when Shapovalov seeks to get on the board. He finds himself at advantage, then bangs a backhand that’s good enough to force a netted volley, and at 4-0 this set is as good as his.
Poor old Márton. Serving at 0-5 0-15, he serve properly sits up for Djokovic to paste back past him. Then, when he hits a winner of his own, the crowd cheers away in patronising fashion and he grins ruefully. Very quickly, Djokovic parlays 15-30 into two set points, but Fucsovics saves both – he’s in the match now – bangs down an ace, then Djokovic goes long! At 5-1, Djokovic will have to serve for it.
Back on No1, a terrific forehand from Khachanov earns him break point at 1-0 in set two – he salutes the crowd in order to salute himself – but an excellent second serve yanks him back to deuce. Shapovalov, though, has gone off the boil slightly, and a poor forehand followed by a wild backhand give Khachanov the break and 2-0!
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Boris notes that Djokovic isn’t just a tenniser, saying that he’s a good skier, basketballer and footballer and spends a lot of his time watching elite sport. I also remember someone, maybe Boris, saying that he’s always stretching. If he’s waiting for a cab or whatever, he doesn’t just loaf, he helps sustain the elasticity that sustains his tennis. I remember someone telling me something similar about Georges St-Pierre, and that once, when the gym was locked, he had everyone doing their routines in the car park. Anyhow, Fucsovics is in deep here, trailing 3-0 and 15-40, and though he gets to 30, he then tries to outlast Djokovic from the baseline and nets. 4-0 it is.
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Fucsovics gets to 30, but Djokovic consolidates for 3-0 and it’s just ridiculous how good he is.
Shapovalov [10] wins the first set against Khachanov [25] 6-4!
How important was that comeback from 0-40? Shapovalov hammers down one ace and two service winners – he leads 16-3 in winners overall – and looks by far the better player now.
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Meanwhile, on Centre, Djokovic has taken seven minutes to hold and break to 15. He leads Fucsovics 2-0.
At 4-4, Shapovalov gets himself to 40-30 and does a really good job neutralising Khachanov’s groundstrokes to earn deuce. Then, on advantage, he adjusts and contorts to send a fine backhand return down line, cleaning up at the net for the first break of the match. After a little sit-down, he’ll serve for the set at 5-4!
Every day, we’ve been sharing life enhancers – so fee free to send yours in – but here are mine for today: Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold, one of my favourite novels, and How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi, which will make you a better person.
We’re away on Centre too. I wish I had another set of eyes able to operate independently.
“Had to laugh at the AEC schedulers’ explanation for the Raducanu scheduling as being down to ‘fairness’,” emails Richard Bryant. “Is that the same legendary ‘fairness’ they use day after day, year after year, that sees Federer permanently on Centre Court. Absolute joke. The way they bend over backwards to make life as easy as possible for Federer – and indeed for Djokovic in a very similar way, is pathetic. They should be doing the opposite, putting them on courts 5, 7, 11 etc. Then we can see what they are actually made of.”
They’ve won 39 majors between them, I think we’ve a fairly decent idea of what they’re about. I also think they’ve earned the right to play on the show courts, but that doesn’t mean scheduling should always be to their advantage or should compromise others just to draw eyeballs to them.
Meantime, Djokovic and Fucsovics are knocking up on Centre.
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Eeesh! You don’t a return when your opponent opens the game with two doubles, as Shapovalov does here, and a miserable second serve, backed up by a miserable forehand, gifts Khachanov three break points. Shapovalov, though, responds with a tremendous forehand whipped cross-court and two big serves – that’s excellent behaviour. He’s yet to lose a point after getting his first serve in, and he sees himself through deuce despite tossing in another double, thanks to another nasty forehand and a backhand onto the line. That’s 3-3.
Another straightforward hold for Khachanov, who plays one sumptuous inside-out forehand onto the line, gives him 3-2. So far, neither man can make an impression on the other’s serve, so perhaps the return is an area both need to improve because I’m certain the players they’re aiming to emulate and may go on to meet would be doing better.
Shapovalov is settled now, and he holds to love for 2-2 while, in commentary, Martina notes that he’s improved his movement a lot.
“It’s men’s quarter-finals day, you’ve got a ticket, it’s a full capacity event,” tweets @Mysteron_Voice. “WHY AREN’T YOU IN YOUR SEAT BEFORE THE START OF THE FIRST MATCH?”
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Karen Khachnov is a man of the people! At 40-0, a Shapovalov forehand catches the line and dies, so Khachanov totally misses his shot. It’s a beautiful thing, but he leads 2-1.
Hi @Calvbetton. I had similar thoughts re F A-A when I saw him a couple of years ago @unitedrewind. https://t.co/zMqOkxpaT5
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) July 7, 2021
Shapovalov nets again, but responds with his first ace of the match and on 30-15, delivers the classic lefty’s one-two of a serve out wide to the backhand followed by a forehand into the empty court. Khachanov then goes wide, which gives us 1-1.
It takes Shapovalov till 40-0 to find his range – Martina notes that it’s better to miss long than into the net, as it he, because it means you’re swinging properly – then a backhand down the line gives him his first point. Khachanov closes out for 1-0, though, and we’re away.
Khachanov to serve first, and ... play.
Khachanov’s last match was an absolute belter. He blown away by Seb Korda in the first set but fought back, and the fifth was one of the weirdest I’ve ever seen, featuring 13 breaks of serve – a Wimbledon record. This is what he said:
“I would say it’s not common, but it is what it is with the nerves. When basically you break a couple of times before the fifth set, and then you have, yeah, 13 breaks, it’s tough to explain.
“But on the other side it’s easy to explain. When you are returning better you start to read the serves better, and then in play, in the rallies, both of us were more stressed, more tight.
“This is obvious. You don’t need to be hiding that. At the end, the one who deals better with the stress wins the match.”
And a little bit more: “Felix is probably the best natural athlete that’s ever played the game.”
That’s quite a statement given someone so young who’s done so little. I remember a previous email saying that he and Thiem were the two best movers we’ve ever seen, but anyway, let’s put that to one side because coming right up we’ve got Khachanov v Shapovalov, and here they come!
Here’s Calvin Betton, our resident coach, on Berrettini v Auger-Aliassime:
“I think it could be close. Felix is a better all round player than Berrettini and if he wins it’s coz he moves better and can do more with variation. But Berrettini has the two biggest weapons in the match: his serve and his forehand. And Felix is a pretty poor returner, plus Berretini has balls of steel and Felix doesn’t. But there’s a chance Felix could just be better at tennis, a bit like early Federer was before he won a slam.”
Anything else going on today?
Mac is now setting about Zverev, who he says is too passive, standing too far behind the baseline and too reticent to get to the net – unlike Felix who’s improved the latter and not a mindset that’ll win you the biggest matches. Boris says that as head of German tennis, he’s been trying to tell Zverev this for four or five years, and asks Mac to have a go, him being “only Boris Becker”.
As for Shapovalov, I’m told that he has everything but game intelligence – he’s coached by his mum, I believe, though Mikhail Youzhny also does some bits. Listening to him speak, though, he thinks he’s ready, and sometimes that’s enough.
Mac reckons Felix isn’t quite ready to beat Berrettini, and notes that the latter is under pressure because he’s expected to win and there aren’t many Italians who’ve made the semis. He also notes that Federer’s best chance of adding another major is here, and a potential semi with yerman is a pretty decent state of affairs in the circumstances.
“I bet Federer and Djokovic aren’t subjected to the brutal draconian conditions and playing times and they are handled with far more care than Emma Raducanu,” tweets Brian Pert.
Yeah, it’s a tricky one – they could have scheduled her earlier. I don’t think it’s about handling the old lads with care though, but about attracting as many eyeballs as possible. Which is understandable and important, but shouldn’t come at the expense of sporting fairness.
First saw Felix Auger-Aliassime about 4 years ago and was blown away. The best 16 year old I’ve ever seen and already the best athlete I’d ever seen play tennis. I’m not sure he’s any better now, 4 years on, than he was then. Don’t know one thing he does better. It’s a concern.
— Calvin Betton (@Calvbetton) March 28, 2021
I say that, but seriously, Berrettini v Auger-Aliassime? Oooh yeah! We can probably say for certain that the former will turn up – and one of the many great thing about him is that thanks to his serve and athleticism, even on a bad day he’s a problem. Auger-Aliassime, though, has better hands, moves better and is even more athletic. If he isn’t let down by his second serve, Berrettini – and everyone else – should watch out.
Of all the things about which I’m intrigued, how Hurkacz and Federer do it probably top of the list. There was a serenity about the manner in which the former dismissed Medvedev yesterday, as though he felt like he’d finally arrived, and he can find the same combination of aggression and relaxation today, Federer might have a problem. I say might, because we don’t really know what we’re going to get from him – he’s improved through the rounds, but he’s not been properly extended since Mannarino retired so hasn’t explored the outer limits of his current game.
Show-court order of play
Centre Court (from 1.30pm)
Novak Djokovic [1] v Márton Fucsovics
Roger Federer [6] v Hubert Hurkacz [14]
**
No1 Court (from 1pm)
Karen Khachanov [25] v Denis Shapovalov [10]
Matteo Berrettini [7] v Felix Auger-Aliassime [16]
Preamble
Who predicted these then? Well done you! Except “you” don’t exist, because there is not the remotest chance that anyone looked at the draw and deduced that this term’s quarter-finals would comprise the eight men preparing to suffer for our afternoon’s gratification.
For that reason, it feels slightly silly to wonder who might win and who might lose, even if, on the face of things, there’s a clear favourite for each match. Novak Djokovic is close to unbeatable, but Márton Fucsovics – the first Hungarian to reach this stage since Jozsef Asboth in 1948 – is a physical beast and in the form of his life; Denis Shapovalov is a future Grand Slam champion with several arsenals of weapons ... but Karen Khachanov has the power and serve to tax him; Mario Berrettini has taken to grass like a duck to hoi sin ... but for childhood phenom Felix Auger-Aliassime, the adult cent might just’ve dropped; and Roger Federer is Roger Federer ... but Hubert Hurkacz might finally be Hubert Hurkacz.
Ultimately, we compete to see what’ll happen, which is why today, the only thing we know for sure is that this is going to be great. Welcome to Wimbledon day nine!
Play: 1pm No1 Court, 1.30pm Centre Court
