Right, that’s it from us for today. Many thanks for your company. I’ll be back tomorrow for the women’s final between Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova, while Daniel will return on Sunday for Jannik Sinner v Carlos Alcaraz part XIII. Make sure you join us then. Bye!
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Here’s Tumaini’s match report:
When Novak Djokovic strode on to Centre Court for a second contest with Jannik Sinner in barely over a month, the narrative had long been set. This was surely one of the 24-time grand slam champion’s last chances for a potential major victory, a challenge that will only become more difficult as he ages even further away from his physical peak while Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz move closer to their own.
For the ensuing two hours on court, Sinner made it clear just how punishing that challenge already is as he completely dismantled a weakened Djokovic, the sixth seed, with his nuclear weight of shot and unimpeachable defence as he reached the Wimbledon final for the first time in his career with a dominant 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win.
A month after suffering the most devastating loss of his career, holding triple championship point against Alcaraz in the French Open final before losing in five crushing sets, Sinner has shown off his mental fortitude and resilience by picking himself back up and immediately making his way through to yet another final. Sinner, the world No 1, will have a chance to avenge that defeat at the earliest possible moment as he faces Alcaraz once again after the Spaniard defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6).
As their combined grip on men’s tennis continues to strengthen, Alcaraz and Sinner will be the second pair of players in the open era to contest the men’s finals at the French Open and Wimbledon in back to back years, which Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer achieved for three consecutive years between 2006 and 2008. Sinner also extends his run of dominance over Djokovic to five straight wins and he has not lost to the 24-time grand slam champion since 2023.
He is the sixth player in the open era to reach four consecutive men’s singles grand slam finals, joining a distinguished list of all-time greats: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi and Rod Laver. Every new grand slam tournament underlines his desperation to become a legend of the game in his own right.
Before the match, Djokovic said he felt confident about his tennis level after their tight three set match in the French Open semi-finals. At 38 years old, his physical preparedness for a best of five set battle with the No 1 was less certain. While Sinner’s bandaged elbow looked in great shape after his freakish fourth round match against Grigor Dimitrov, Djokovic had skipped practice on Thursday after suffering a heavy fall on match point in his quarter-final win against Flavio Cobolli.
You can read the rest here.
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And this from the press room, where Djokovic has come in much sooner than expected: he says he doesn’t want to call it a day, and hopes to return to Wimbledon “at least one more time … I’m just trying to make the maximum out of what I have left … when I’m fit I can still play good tennis”. Huge props to him if he manages that, he’ll be 39 by next year’s tournament, but let’s see if his body holds up. Playing the generation game when the odds are stacked against him is only going to get harder, even if his heart wants to carry on.
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Another result for you: Hsieh Su-wei and Jelena Ostapenko are into the women’s doubles final after defeating the defending champions Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend 7-5, 6-4. They’ll play Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens for the title on Sunday.
As for Djokovic, he now has to deal with the cruel reality of time catching up with him. He said this Wimbledon represented his greatest chance to ever claim slam No 25, but the truth is he hasn’t won a slam since 2023 when he was 36. Federer and Nadal were also 36 when they won their last major titles. Having ruled at the top of the game together, it now looks as if they’ll end up going out in the same way too.
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So the Italian dreaming of his first Wimbledon title has ruthlessly seen off the man who so desperately wanted that eighth. Sinner now has the chance to win his first grand slam away from hard courts. It’s a fourth major final in a row for the Australian Open and US Open champion. And a fifth win on the spin against Djokovic. Perhaps Sinner will still be a little wounded from that French Open final against Alcaraz – how could he not be – but on the other hand Sunday’s final does offer him a very swift chance for redemption.
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“I could never imagine I’d play here in the finals,” says Sinner. “It shows I’m growing as a player in all surfaces. I struggled a lot five years ago when I started on this surface. Now I’m moving much better. Me and my team are trying to work every day with a good purpose. It’s amazing.”
And what about facing Alcaraz again, in a repeat of that almost neverending French Open final, when Sinner was two sets to love up and had three championship points but lost? “We saw the last final – you never know [what will happen],” he says, smiling. “It’s an honour to share the court with Carlos again. We try to push ourselves to the limit. Hopefully it’s going to be a good match like the last one, but I don’t know if it can be better because I don’t think it’s possible!”
It's a maiden #Wimbledon final for Jannik Sinner 💥
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2025
The Italian defeats Novak Djokovic with a dazzling 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory to line up a Sunday afternoon meeting with Carlos Alcaraz 🤝
Just world No.1 doing world No.1 things 😅 pic.twitter.com/jObVzUdMqA
It's been a pleasure to watch your tennis at #Wimbledon this year, Novak 👏
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2025
Congratulations on your run at The Championships 2025 ✨ pic.twitter.com/nnjteBGoKk
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Sinner wins 6-3, 6-3, 6-4
The umpire calls time. Could this be time on Djokovic’s Wimbledon career too? If does feel like a definitive changing of the guard; the ailing former champion no longer able to keep up with the world No 1. Yes, he’s clearly injured today, but it’ll only get harder for him to drag his body back for more. 15-0, 30-0, 40-0, three match points. Sinner blinks and nets his forehand. It’s only the briefest of blips, though, because Sinner then sends his serve out wide and Djokovic seems ready to shake hands before Sinner’s winner even lands in the open court! Now the crowd are finally giving Sinner the applause he deserves; he’s into his first Wimbledon final. And we’ve got ourselves a repeat of that French Open final against Alcaraz. But it’s not long before they’re cheering Djokovic again, as he departs to a standing ovation and warm applause from Sinner; perhaps his final exit on the court where he reigned supreme seven times.
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Third set: Sinner* 6-3, 6-3, 5-4 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
The only victory for Djokovic today, perhaps, is that ironically he’s got the love he always craved from the Centre Court crowd; they’re cheering his every point (of which admittedly there haven’t been too many). They’re urging him on with all their force when Djokovic slips 30-40, match point, down. It works: Djokovic saves it with a gutsy serve. And then a second match point with an ace! And the 38-year-old lives to fight another day (or most likely one more game). Because Sinner now gets the chance to serve this out.
Third set: Sinner 6-3, 6-3, 5-3 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Apart from that break at the start of this set, it’s been unrelenting from Sinner. And from 40-15, he closes out the game with a backhand winner, and Djokovic doesn’t even chase it down. He knows he’s beaten. That’s fifth game in a row for Sinner.
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Sinner breaks: Sinner* 6-3, 6-3, 4-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
A classic one-two punch straight from the coach’s textbook rounds off a comfortable hold for Sinner. And an email from Paul Griffin: “Agassi is the tennis’s greatest raconteur isn’t he? ‘The greatest problem was not breaking Boris Becker’s serve. The greatest problem was hiding from Boris Becker that I knew how to break his serve.’”
I remember being absolutely blown away by Agassi at the first overseas slam I covered, back at the 2004 US Open (I’m showing my age now). I’d never seen anyone able to command a room of the hacks in the way he did. Hopefully his turn in the BBC commentary box today won’t be his last. Let’s get him back for the final. That would make an Alcaraz v Sinner final even more of an occasion, and it looks as if that’s what we’re getting when Sinner steps it up and breaks to 15.
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Sinner breaks: Sinner* 6-3, 6-3, 2-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
My wifi, much like Sinner’s serve, has given up on me. So apologies, I can’t tell you all of what happened, but Sinner breaks to 15. It was loose from Djokovic, though, and there was a missed overhead and another shot into the net. Djokovic is cursing in Serbian as he sits down at the changeover. Johnny Mac pleads for some AI translation. We’ve got AI line calls now, so why not? He must be furious with himself (Djokovic I mean, not JM): he worked so hard to get back into this and he’s handed his third-set advantage back.
Third set: Sinner 6-3, 6-3, 1-3 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Djokovic even has the chance for a double break here, at 0-30, as Sinner’s first serve deserts him. How quickly a tennis match can change. And 0-30 turns into 30-40. Djokovic took his only other break point in this match – what about this? Sinner works his way to the net on the break point, ramping up the pressure … and finally dispatching the winning smash. Deuce. And from there Sinner survives.
Third set: Sinner* 6-3, 6-3, 0-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Stupid us: we should know from Djokovic’s career that it’s foolish to write him off. And he backs up the break by holding to 15. If Djokovic can maintain this momentum, will Sinner’s scar tissue from last month’s French Open final, when he was two sets and then three championship points up against Alcaraz, start to show? Sinner did also, by the way, lead Djokovic by two sets to love at Wimbledon in 2022 before losing. Sinner, of course, is an entirely different opponent now, but if Djokovic keeps asking the questions, perhaps some fault lines will appear.
Djokovic breaks: Sinner 6-3, 6-3, 0-2 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Agreed Simon. Assuming Djokovic loses this from here, will he still have the energy to get his body ready for another tilt at the title in 12 months? I’m not so sure. And will he want to come back if he doesn’t think he has a genuine chance of winning an eighth Wimbledon? Time catches up with all of us in the end, even the GOAT. Which I think he still will be, even if he doesn’t get to that elusive slam No 25; he’s won more than Nadal and Federer, after all, and will hopefully get the credit he deserves, whenever he does call it a day, for what he did to not only upset but then outdo the established order. But just as I’m writing his Wimbledon eulogy, Djokovic holds and then has a break point, when Sinner misses with a wild shot! Sinner then nets! Perhaps there’s life in the old champion yet.
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Despite being totally outplayed so far, Djokovic hasn’t been in visible pain during the points, though, of course, it’s impossible to know how he’s feeling. And an email from Simon McMahon. “Hi Katy. I think we could be watching Djokovic’s last match at Wimbledon. This really does feel like the end of an era, a changing of the guard. If it is, I’m sure he can look forward to receiving a heroes welcome when he returns to SW19, which sadly is not something I think he ever received when he was battling Federer, Nadal and Murray. It’s not his fault he was the greatest in an era of greats. But he truly was great. Though I think even he knows the game is up. Oh, and I agree about Agassi on comms during the previous semi. He was sensational.”
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Sinner wins the second set 6-3
Sinner shows he can sometimes be human by opening the game with a double fault. But a 15-shot rally, predictably, ends in Sinner’s favour, as Djokovic, keen to get it over with, puts too much into his backhand. 15-all. 30-15. 40-15. And Sinner brutally settles it with an ace. Djokovic has called for the trainer. With Sinner scorching through the sets in this Wimbledon sauna, a dizzied Djokovic is probably seeing stars in his eyes. But the timeout seems to be for the thigh adductor injury he suffered in that nasty slip in the closing stages of his quarter-final on Wednesday.
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Second set: Sinner* 6-3, 5-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
0-15. 0-30. Sinner just isn’t missing. He’s giving Djokovic a taste of his 2015 medicine. Djokovic’s 11-year-old son Stefan winces in the box. Djokovic recovers to 30-all. But a vicious forehand pass down the line from Sinner leaves Djokovic rooted on the spot. 30-40, set point Sinner, which would leave the Italian serving first in the third set. As if he needs any more help right now. Djokovic belligerently sends down an ace. Deuce. And then another. Sinner doesn’t get another set point from there – but Djokovic does need another four deuces to hold. Such is the effort Djokovic has to make to get anything from Sinner right now.
And some news on Alfie Hewett:
Alfie Hewett closes it out in style 😮💨
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2025
The defending champion cruises through to a fourth consecutive final with a 6-0, 7-5 win over the 2024 runner-up Martin De La Puente 👊
Sealed with his fifth ace of the match 🃏 pic.twitter.com/yY62n22LuC
Second set: Sinner 6-3, 5-2 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Djokovic wins the opening point on Sinner’s serve – and the crowd celebrate as if the Serb’s taken the set. Sinner silences them with the next three points. Though there is a loud gasp when Djokovic rams the ball into the net at 40-15. Sinner’s won 92% of points on his first serve so far. He’s untouchable. And Djokovic must now hold serve to stay in the second set. They haven’t even been playing for an hour yet.
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Second set: Sinner* 6-3, 4-2 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic decides to change tactics and goes for the serve-volley. It works. He’s 40-0 up. Unlike his approach in his heyday, Djokovic could do with shortening the points here, because Sinner’s metronomic brilliance >>>>> 38-year-old Djokovic’s. But Djokovic gets involved in a longer rally on the next point, and hits long. 40-15. Though he does manage to hold from there.
Second set: Sinner 6-3, 4-1 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Another green shoot for Djokovic (perhaps): he lost the first sets against Alex de Minaur and Flavio Cobolli in the fourth round and quarter-finals respectively, before coming back strongly. But De Minaur and Cobolli, fine players as they are, aren’t of Sinner’s calibre. Another ace from Sinner, his ninth of the match, and there’s another authoritative hold. Djokovic just isn’t getting a look-in on the world No 1’s serve.
Second set: Sinner* 6-3, 3-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
From 15-all, Sinner consolidates the break with a hat-trick of aces. Wow. Not only is he dominating from the baseline, he’s serving supremely too. And Raducanu isn’t the only notable face watching on: Leonardo DiCaprio, Rami Malek and Benedict Cumberbatch are back from their tea (or tennis ball delights) and are in the Royal Box. Wonder if they could script a great escape for Djokovic here. Djokovic does, at least, hold to 15, finishing the game with a much-needed winner, a cross-court forehand. Maybe that’ll spark him into life.
If you’re just joining us:
Sinner breaks: Sinner* 6-3, 2-0 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
“It’s like Djokovic watching a mirror image of himself from the past,” McEnroe says of facing Sinner. And that’s the problem for Djokovic today: they’re both very similar players, but Djokovic’s metronomic consistency and ability to play that extra ball isn’t as good as Sinner’s any more. Especially when he’s nursing that injury from the quarter-finals. The Italian machine of Sinner is basically generation Z’s version of the classic cyborg from Serbia. Sinner isn’t missing anything right now, and after another swift hold, he surges to 0-30 on Djokovic’s serve, as Emma Raducanu watches on, applauding. Wonder what Carlos Alcaraz makes of her switching her loyalties. And at 30-40 Sinner gets break point; cue a wild forehand from Djokovic and another break.
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Sinner wins the first set 6-3
Sinner, armed with new balls (though none as tasty as the ones in Wimbledon’s restaurant), rattles through to love, rounding things off with an ace. With the temperature still about 30C, the Italian then turns up the heat on Djokovic’s serve. 0-15 becomes 15-30. And then 15-40, two set points, after the most absorbing rally of the match, complete with drop shots, lobs and smashes, is eventually won by Sinner. The first let-up from Sinner today, as he becomes a little tentative and fails to take either set point. After three deuces Sinner gets a third set point. Djokovic hits a messy backhand long and wearily trudges back to his chair. His task was already tough enough – but it’s now become about 1,000 times harder.
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First set: Sinner* 4-3 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Djokovic is in a little danger at 30-all. But edges through from there with the next two points. And speaking of Agassi … look at this! So much for Wimbledon’s usual fare of strawberries and cream. I wonder if everyone who ordered it got given a racket too – or if only the great man did….
First set: Sinner 4-2 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Sinner downed Djokovic in their past two grand slam meetings, by the way, at this year’s French Open and last year’s Australian Open, but Djokovic has got the better of Sinner twice at Wimbledon before, in 2022 and 2023. Though we should note that was before Sinner turned into the numero uno Sinner. He’s a totally different proposition now. “Sinner so far looks undeterred by the prospect of facing someone he’s looked up to,” notes John McEnroe, who’s taken over from Andre Agassi on the BBC commentary. Which, no disrespect to Johnny Mac, feels like a bit of a downgrade, for no other reason than he’s not Andre Agassi. On court meanwhile, a couple of straightforward holds and it’s 4-2.
First set: Sinner 3-1 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
15-0, 30-0, 40-0 … Sinner still hasn’t dropped a point on serve. But then the world No 1 gifts the man who’s spent more time at No 1 than anyone else a couple of points by hitting long and then coughing up an early double fault. 40-30. Djokovic can’t make any further inroads in the game though, because he drills his return long. The break has been backed up.
Sinner breaks: Sinner* 2-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
The first point against serve, as Sinner sends a sweet forehand winner down the line. And then it’s 15-30. The longest point of the opening exchanges plays out, it’s a real game of cat and mouse, with Sinner sprinting forward to Djokovic’s half-volley and Djokovic then scrambling to the net himself before hurtling back to attempt the tweener from Sinner’s lob, but failing. And that perhaps sums up the task facing Djokovic this afternoon: his 38-year-old legs have got far more miles on the clock than the 23-year-old Sinner’s. 15-40, two break points. And Djokovic nets. Sinner strikes early.
First set: Sinner 1-1 Djokovic* (*denotes next server)
Sinner, with his arm still heavily strapped after that fall in his great escape against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round, replies to Djokovic’s love hold with one of his own. Djokovic has got his own injury worries too, of course, after that nasty slip when he was serving for the match against Flavio Cobolli in the quarter-finals. He cancelled his practice session yesterday, but looks OK in the opening exchanges. But it’s hard to truly tell given the points have been so short and sharp.
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First set: Sinner* 0-1 Djokovic (*denotes next server)
Thanks Daniel. Phew, it’s hot in this Wimbledon sauna. But no time to cool down after Alcaraz’s latest masterclass, because Sinner and Djokovic are already under way, with Djokovic sending the world No 1 a message of defiance from the off with a hold to love. Not that most of the Centre Court spectators saw it, because they’re still catching their breath after the first semi-final and have gone AWOL.
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I am in awe of that man. He’s everything I want a sportsperson to be – exciting, improvisational, attitudinous and a mensch, a total one-off who is spreads joy and love wherever he goes. I cant wait to see him on Sunday, but who will he play? Katy Murrells will be here shortly to croon you through … Jannik Sinner v Novak Djokovic! Oooh yeah! But that’s it from me for now, so thanks for your company and peace out!
It’s alway hard to face Taylor, he says, especially in this heat, and he’s really happy with everything he’s done today. it’s not easy to deal with the nerves, but he’s happy to have saved set point and he’s really proud with how he stayed calm and thought clearly; he’s happy with level today. I’ll bet, old mate, I’ll bet.
Asked how he’s able to find the joy in his tennis having won 24 matches straight, not thinking about stuff like that is his answer. he’s focused on playing on a beautiful court in the most beautiful tournament in the world and for now, he’s not thinking about Sunday, he’s enjoying the moment and today’s win. He’ll have time to play and think on Sunday, but for now he’ll watch the second semi and see. Djokovic v Sinner is one of the most exciting matches they have on tour right now, so he’ll watch as much of it as he can after doing press and so on. He’ll have to play one or other, so he’ll work out his tactics and come back on Sunday.
Real talk, we felt like we knew how it’d end, but that was so enjoyable and intense. Alcaraz is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, in any sport, a bristling bundle of goodness, and here he is.
Carlos Alcaraz (2) beats Taylor Fritz (5) 6-4 5-7 6-3 7-6(6)
This boy is a genius, what else do you want to know?! Fritz played what might be the match of his life, but every timer he got near Alcaraz pushed him away, his confidence and creativity like nothing we’ve ever seen before – Johnny Mac is closest, and there’s no greater compliment than that. We are privileged to be living in his time, and he’ll face Sinner or Djokovic on Sunday as he bids to win a third Wimbledon in a row. Currently, he’s 5-0 in major finals.
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Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 6-6 Alcaraz (6-7) Tentative from Alcaraz, when a massive second serve is returned with interest. But the champ conjures a remarkable forehand pass to raise match point, genius that he is….
Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 6-6 Alcaraz (6-6) But he’s playing Carlos Alcaraz, who finds a big boy’s return, changes momentum with a backhand on to the baseline, and saves set point when Fritz can’t respond to a drop. shortly afterwards, we’re back level at 6-6, and both these freaks of nature of giving us everything.
Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 6-6 Alcaraz (4-6) A service winner takes Fritz a point away! he’s now won five in a row!
Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 6-6 Alcaraz (4-5) A deft +1 volley makes Alcaraz 4-1, but two holds from Fritz keep him in the hunt. Can he snatch back the mini-break? Well, he gets a look at a second serve, hits a decent return and we go backhand to backhand, corner to corner, until he switches up to coax a winner down the line! Hold tight Taylor Fritz! he’s playing as well as he can, and we’re back on serve … then a brutal forehand means he’s two hodls awa from forcing a fifth set! This is fantastic stuff!
Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 6-6 Alcaraz (1-3) A well-placed – and bloody fast – second serve sees Fritz’s return fly just long, but when he tries some finesse with a drop, Alcaraz fools him by responding with a lob, the slams away the resultant overhead for a mini-break at 2-1. Alcaraz is so, so good at doing whatever is necessary, and that body-serve earns him 3-1.
*Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 6-6 Alcaraz Alcaraz gets his first return in, but a monstrous inside-out forehand, followed by a service winner, make 30-0. Another follows, but Alcaraz then dashes in to flip a gorgeous pick-up across the face of the net, then Fritz can’t respond to a drop, and at 40-30, Fritz will be wondering. So he astonishes an ace out wide, that has Alcaraz vaulting sideways in its pursuit, and here comes our fourth-set breaker. Bring it on!
Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 5-6 Alcaraz* With the whole court at which to aim, Alcaraz sends a volley wide, but he makes no such mistake playing the next point, larruping a mahoosive forehand into the corner. “I love it, I love it … it’s like he wants to tell you he’s about to do it,” kvels Agassi, pondering the pre-winner grunt. A drop-winner follows, then an ace, eliciting further purring from the commentary box, then when he serves long, a beautiful catch of the ball on the strings has the crowd marvelling, and high-leaping second-serve ace secures a memorable and yet entirely routine hold. Fritz must again serve to stay in the match.
*Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 5-5 Alcaraz Terrific behaviour from Fritz, holding to love. He’s brought his A-game today, and though there’s been no point at which Alcaraz hasn’t seemed the likely winner, this set will now be settled by a point or two, and he’s more than capable of winning it or them,
“Me again, Daniel!” returns Chris Page. “Whoever wins between Hewett and De La Puente on Court 1 – a repeat of last year’s Gentlemen’s Wheelchair final – will meet Tokito Oda, who’s just sent Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez packing in straight sets 7-5 6-1. Come on, Alfie!”
Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 4-5 Alcaraz* Alcaraz makes 30-0, a service winner and drop combo takes him to within a point of another convincing hold, and a wide return – to an admittedly nails kick-serve – means Fritz must shortly serve to stay in the championships.
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*Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 4-4 Alcaraz Fritz opens the game with a double, but Alcaraz can’t return his next serve and an ace makes 30-15. From there, he closes out, and is this set inching towards a tiebreaker? I thought we’d have had one before now, I must say, but there’s work for both men to do yet.
Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 3-4 Alcaraz* Fritz must wish he was playing at this level when Lleyton Hewitt or Jim Courier were winning slams – he’s played really well today, yet he trails and, as I type, finds himself forlornly pursuing a drop that earns Alcaraz 30-0. Naturally, the love hold is promptly secured, and the scoreboard pressure ramps up yet further.
*Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 3-3 Alcaraz A double donates Alcaraz 0-15, and is this his moment? Well, he has a chance to send a backhand return down the line …only to overhit … but we wind up at 30-all, whereupon the champ forces a a return back into play and Fritz makes a mess of the clean-up! Break point that feels like match point … and Fritz finds a big first serve, this time making no mistake with his +1. And from deuce he secures a vital hold, an ace out wide underlining his solidity.
Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 2-3 Alcaraz* Oooh, Alcaraz misses a backhand then sends down a double, and at 15-30, Fritz has a sniff. Another superb body-serve, though, levels the game, a surprise drop makes 40-30 – Fritz’s lob falls long – and another lovely fake allows the drop-winner. Alcaraz’s feel for game and ball are absolutely wondrous.
“The commentary for the tennis matches may fall short,” emails Krishnamoorthy V, “but have you read Strokes of Genius: Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played by L. Jon Wertheim? I still can’t decide which one I enjoyed more, the match or the book.”
I haven’t, but I’ll have a look.
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*Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 2-2 Alcaraz A long backhand donates 15-0; an ace restores parity and another secures an advantage. A third in a row follows, and a fourth ends the game. Rrrridiculous behaviour from Fritz.
Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 1-2 Alcaraz* Alcaraz makes 40-15 in short order, but Fritz finds a lovely angle to force a backhand return down the line, catching the champ coming in. But it’s in vain, as a return falls long, the hold secure.
*Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 1-1 Alcaraz A straightforward hold for Fritz levels the set, but can he attack the Alcaraz serve?
“Isn’t it great to have a world class expert (Andre Agassi) on comms?” asks Chris Collinson. “Love his drawl delivery and insights into the game of tennis. You can always learn something new from the best. He reminds me a bit of David Millar on ITV4’s peerless TDF coverage in the sense he can tell you what’s going to happen before it has, and why. Class.”
Agree, he’s a great addition. Tennis coverage lags behind pretty much every other sport in terms of analysis, but this Wmibledon has been much better – Todd Woodbridge was excellent on Jack Draper’s defeat, for example.
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Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 0-1 Alcaraz* Oooh, Alcaraz shanks a forehand long for 0-30, and has he lost focus having taken the third set? Er, no. It’s soon 30-all, Fritz going long when he didn’t need to, and from there, the game disappears.
Carlos Alcaraz takes the third set to lead Taylor Fritz 2-1
*Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-6 Alcaraz At 0-15, Alcaraz finds just enough on a backhand cross; Fritz sends his response long, and he’s in trouble. But following a great get from Alcaraz, he finds a terrific pass for 15-30 when under pressure in the rally … only to send down a double, in the process raising two set points for the champ. He saves the first with a service winner, but after a second serve is sent back close to the baseline, he can only loop a backhand long. That’s a tame concession and, as we surmised earlier, it just doesn’t look like he can play well enough for long enough to win this.
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Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-5 Alcaraz* Fritz is running out of opportunities in this set, but a double hands him 0-15; he then blocks back a return … into the net. He’ll know that’s a missed opportunity, likewise a more aggressive second-serve return into the tape, and when he nets a backhand – having been allowed a look at a third second delivery – he’s a point away from 5-3, having failed to take advantage of decent chances to make something happen. And Alcaraz duly serves out, meaning he’s a game away from a 2-1 lead.
*Fritz 4-6 7-5 3-4 Alcaraz Fritz makes 40-0 in under 40 seconds, and though a double follows, a serve out wide facilitates the backhand clean-up, and he lets Alcaraz know he’s not giving up on this set.
Fritz 4-6 7-5 2-4 Alcaraz* Alcaraz has the goldfish memory characteristic of the best sportsfolk, able to forget mistakes and recapture his best form just like that. He holds to love, and it’ll take something special to prevent him from snaffling this set.
*Fritz 4-6 7-5 2-3 Alcaraz A double hands Alcaraz 0-15, and this is the thing: Fritz is excellent, but is he good enough to play well enough for long enough to dethrone the champ? Well, he wins his first point in 13, a start, reaches 40-15 with an ace, and though he secures the hold, he’ll be feart that little drop in standard will wind up costing him the set.
Fritz 4-6 7-5 1-3 Alcaraz* Alcaraz quickly makes 30-0 then Fritz, whose level has dropped a little, goes long on the forehand, making it 11 straight points he’s lost … 12 when a service winner seals the consolidation.
*Fritz 4-6 7-5 1-2 Alcaraz Alcaraz makes 0-15, then directs a monstrous backhand return cross-court, cleaning up with a brutal forehand, and with the ante upped, he’s responding; the cry of “Vamos!” tells us he knows this is a chance, another fine return prompts the error, and a drop followed by a lob secures the break to love. All it took was Fritz missing a few first serves and Alcaraz, whose tennis genius is not just creativity but timing, was there to take full advantage. That is a proper message.
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Fritz 4-6 7-5 1-1 Alcaraz* Now it’s Alcaraz holding to love, and this is now exactly the kind of match Fritz would’ve wanted it to be, coming down to a point here and there with breaking opportunities few and far between.
*Fritz 4-6 7-5 1-0 Alcaraz Alcaraz’s concentration looked to dip at the end of that second set, and I’m sure Fritz’s plan was to be in touch when that happened; he was, and he seized the moment really well. And he’s still hitting that same level, securing a love hold with an ace; he’ll be starting to believe.
Fritz nicks off for a break, so Alcaraz waits, standing, desperate to exorcise the end of that set.
Taylor Fritz wins the second set against Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, levelling the match at 1-1
Fritz 4-6 7-5 Alcaraz* A backhand into the net gives Fritz 0-15, and a fine return allows him to run around his backhand to punish a winner cross-court; he’s two points away from the set! And he then gets a second serve to attack … or he would were it not dumped into the net! Three set points to the American! And he only needs one, Alcaraz overhitting a forehand down the line, and do we got ourselves a ball-game? We got ourselves a ball-game! Fritz kept himself in front and built a bit of scoreboard pressure, so was there to advantage when the errors came! Alcaraz will be rueing those missed backhands in the previous game.
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*Fritz 4-6 6-5 Alcaraz When Alcaraz makes 0-15 you fear for Fritz, but given a go at a second serve, the champ sends his backhand return long; that’s quite an oversight, all the more so when he does it again next point, then again. In fairness, these serves are being hit hard – Fritz is taking care to play with conviction – but an error leaves him facing 40-30, a service winner guaranteeing him a tiebreak, at least.
Fritz 4-6 5-5 Alcaraz* Alcaraz makes 15-0, but Fritz plays a very smart next point, nailing his return, then banging a forehand to the line and coming in to put away a backhand volley; he’s in the game, all the more when the champ nets, put under pressure by the amped-up pace on Fritz’s groundstrokes. Alcaraz, though, then feints the drop only to slice to the corner, and quickly making 40-30, he wallops a what-was-the-fuss-about ace down the T.
*Fritz 4-6 5-4 Alcaraz Fritz sends a backhand wide for 15-all, but from there he holds easily, and Alcaraz must now serve to stay in the second set.
Fritz 4-6 4-4 Alcaraz* Off we go again, Alcaraz sending a high-kicking second serve that’s almost an ace. But when it comes back, he picks the wrong side for his putaway, the ball comes back with interest, and caught at the net, he’s passed; break point. So Alcaraz disburses a body-serve, the cunning so-and-so, Fritz unable to free his arms; he then makes advantage with a drop and pataway, before forcing a forehand to the corner, Fritz just unable to keep the riposte in the court. So Alcaraz comes through his first serious threat, but that’s encouraging for the American who, notes Andre, has turned up the volume on his rally backhand.
Fritz 4-6 4-3 Alcaraz* Agassi is so interesting to listen to; most recently, he explains that he liked to receive first, not because of the potential breaking opportunity, but because if he was trailing he’d have to be focused on every point, none taken for granted. Anyroad up, Fritz gets a look at a second serve … and guides a sumptuous backhand return, inside-out and cross-court, to make 0-15. By the standard, this is a chance, but someone in the crowd has a situation, so there’s a brief pause while the medics get involved, then we go again. Naturally, Alcaraz gets us going again with a service winner, and follows it with an ace, but when Fritz coaxes a backhand down the line, at 30-all, he has a chance. Someone else, though, has been taken poorly, so at a crucial moment in the game, we take a breath. Godspeed.
*Fritz 4-6 4-3 Alcaraz Fritz hits a backhand into the tape, ceding 15-all, but Alcaraz then goes long, unable to increase pressure. From there, Fritz secures his hold, and he’s pretty much doing everything he can.
Fritz 4-6 3-3 Alcaraz* How many of these do we think Alcaraz can win? The record is nine, held by the wonderful Martina, but if he okays as long as Djokovic, there’s a pretty decent chance he beats that. A peculiar thing to say of someone who only has two, but Alcaraz is a peculiar individual – in the best possible way. Another straightforward hold levels the set again, and this is intensifying.
*Fritz 4-6 3-2 Alcaraz Another straightforward hold for Fritz, who’s starting to enjoy himself. If he can make it to a tiebreaker, he can turn this set into one that’s decided by a shot here or there, his best chance of winning as per Stich v Edberg in 1991.
Fritz 4-6 2-2 Alcaraz* A serve-volley point makes 15-0, but at 30-0 Fritz reads a delivery out wide and punishes back a return down the line, earning the first point he’s won against a first serve. Then, at 40-15, Alcaraz caresses a volley marginally long – taking it for granted reckons Andre – and in the context, this feels like a chance. Shonuff, a netted forehand takes us to deuce, but down advantage, Fritz doesn’t have the hands to put away a volley. ‘Is there a way to ask your viewers if I’m talking to much?” wonders Andre. “I’m serious, I don’t have any experience of this.” Oh man, please talk more and more and more, all the time; the sonics of it are beautiful even before we enjoy the elucidation.
“If you’re including golf courses you might have to extend your definition from English to British!” reckons Richard Hirst; I have no authority on this matter but yes, that makes sense.
*Fritz 4-6 2-1 Alcaraz A long forehand hands Alcaraz 15-all, as we learn he’s won 19 matches on the spin at Wimbledon and 23 on the spin this year. Not bad. But it’s the only point he wins in the game, and he’s doing all he can – though the sense is the break will inevitably eventuate at some point.
Fritz 4-6 1-1 Alcaraz*Up in the rally, Fritz doesn’t do enough coming in to retrieve a poor drop so tries a tweener; Agassi is unimpressed, saying he’d fine him for that if he was his coach, and that the ball needed to go up into the sun. Meantime, the love hold is secured, and Alcaraz is offering almost nothing.
*Fritz 4-6 1-0 Alcaraz Fritz badly needs to get himself ahead in the set and he quickly makes 40-0, then Alcaraz thunks a forehand long. Save that first game, the American has served with authority.
Carlos Alcaraz wins the first set against Taylor Fritz 6-4
Fritz 4-6 Alcaraz* Fritz calls the trainer to look at his elbow then alcaraz, staggering under the pressure of serving out the set, opens the game with a pair of aces … then a service winer. He’s now 15/15 on first-serve points, quickly takes the first set point, and that was pretty much faultless behaviour from the champ. It’s an absolute shanda how good he is.
“I’d like to humbly point you the direction of,” begins Chris Collinson.
”Music & DJs so many amazing artists
Photography: Rankin, Nick Knight
Design; Farrow, Peter Saville
Too many post production companies to list in Soho that are world beaters
Art: Tracy Emin, Damien Hirst
Stage & Screen: again too many to list. 007 anyone?!
Golf Courses: too many classic links to mention far superior to identikit US target layouts
For starters!”
Are we saying these guys are indisputably the best? I’m not so sure, though we can of course accept that they’re good
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*Fritz 4-5 Alcaraz At 30-15, Alcaraz lays a drop, Fritz retorts well … for all the good it does him, the champ gliding in to pat away a beauty across the face of the net and past his opponent’s dive. Everything he does he makes look so natural, so easy and so obvious and when he makes 30-40, he has set point … saved very well indeed by Fritz, who has to hit three excellent forehands to reach deuce. From there, the American closes out, forcing Alcaraz to serve for the set.
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Fritz 3-5 Alcaraz* Oh man, up 15-0, Alcaraz hooks a forehand from middle to forehand corner, spininin viciously – the kind of shot you’d never have thought was on until it was proved to the contrary. From there, he secures a love hold, a gorgeous drop-volley finishing the game, and there’s no sense whatsoever that he can lose this match. He’s a game away from the first set.
*Fritz 3-4 Alcaraz Alcaraz’s ability to adjust on the fly, as he did with his second serve in that last game, is so impressive; he manages to combine the imagination of youth with the canniness of age. Fritz, though, is serving well now, an ace and a nice drop helping him to 40-0. Alcaraz then makes 40-15, mainly irrelevant as the American then closes out, but the gesture to his box, which says he can break from that position, tells us plenty about how he sees the game and how he sees himself.
Fritz 2-4 Alcaraz* Down 0-15, Alcaraz finds an ace, but at 30-15, Fritz out-rallies him from the back, then gets a look at a second serve – so far he’s won every point in this situation. This time, though, a kicker, swinging away, is too good, and forehand shovelled long secures the hold.
Excellent, here’s Chris Page with his regular wheelchair update: “Japanese no 1 seed Yui Kamiji just booked her place in the ladies’ wheelchair singles final over on Court 14, beating Li Xiaohui 6-2 6-2 in 1 hr 4 minutes. To be fair, neither player was at their best. I don’t blame either of them for not wanting to stay out in today’s heat.”
*Fritz 2-3 Alcaraz At 40-30, Alcaraz looks to have something in his eye, or a problem with a lens, so there’s a quick pause, then Fritz massacres an ace down the T, and save that first game he’s doing pretty well.
Fritz 1-3 Alcaraz* Agassi is another with a voice lower than the Dead Sea, intoning that he’s from Vegas so he looks at things in a way one might look at gambling. If you’vbe a 51% chance of losing and you stay at the table till they turn the lights off, you’ll lose; Fritz needs to do everything really well, but also on time. And he starts the game well, a huge forehand return backed up with another for 0-15; very quickly, it’s 30-15, but offered a look at a second serve, he leaps out wide and punishes an overhand backhand winner down the line. That’s exactly how he needs to play, but Alcaraz is so smart, a body-serve preventing him from freeing his arm, and ace down the T secures another hold. It’s beginning to feel like Fritz could play lights-out and still lose.
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*Fritz 1-2 Alcaraz Better news for Fritz, who makes 30-0 as Alcaraz doesn’t connect with a half-volley drop; in comms, Andre Agassi – what an addition he is – notes that he might just have won the point in a more standard way, but concedes he’s not the same kind of talent. What a compliment that is. Meantime, Fritz holds to love, and he’ll be feeling a bit better about life nw he’s on the board.
Fritz 0-2 Alcaraz* Two big serves and 30-0; already, this is going poorly for Fritz, and an ace follows, then a return drops long, and a love hold endorses the break. This has been a near-perfect start from the champ.
*Fritz 0-1 Alcaraz Lovely start, Alcaraz laying a drop that’s way too good; 0-15. Already, Fritz will have doubt in his mind to stop him planting feet: is his opponent really going to hit deep, or is he faking? He quickly makes 15-30, then the American nets; a high-kicking ace saves the first break point, and the second is taken from him when Alcaraz hits into the tape and sees the ball tip over. Unlike Anisimova yesterday, he doesn’t salute the crowd but instead pretends he’s sorry; Aryna Sabalenka will be relieved at his absent candour
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Righto, we’re ready to go. Fritz to serve; ready … play.
Tangentially, a strange thing: I’ve seen Radiohead, Stevie, Dave, Stormzy and Prince at the o2, but the only act that properly filled the space and didn’t make seem like a soulless hangar was the lowest fi of them all, Leonard Cohen.
Taylor Fritz has such a low voice my screen is shaking. I’d love to see him have a go at this.
And here they come! It looks beautiful out there.
Our playersn walk down the stairs and past the trophies. I interviewed Henry Patten at Wimbledon a while ago, and had the ludicrous privilege of kicking about the clubhouse. Mates, it is a place. There’s not much at which the English could be said to be the best, but they’re sporting venues – and crisps, and biscuits, and desserts – are right there.
“Had all four of my wisdom teeth yanked out in the same sitting by a former Air Force dentist,” brags Gregory Phillips. “The local anaesthesia didn’t work fully and I swill never forget the feeling of the root ripping out of my jawbone on the first one. Still makes me shiver 23 years later.”
I’ve had a fair few dental operations – as a kid, i was bending down behind someone to trip them up, the pusher acted before I was ready, and I ended up with a perfect arch carved into my front two teeth. The crowns then repeatedly came off – they were particularly impartial to Wham and Irn Bru bars – so I spent many teenage hours in the dentist’s chair, but this was a different thing entirely.
Is there a cultural reason Americans enjoy using what we in the UK consider to be surnames as first names? I know we’ve noted it – so too did Billy Connolly – but is there a reason? Perhaps Fritz Taylor can advise.
Nothing to do with tennis, but I’ve got the cricket on my second screen and they’re telling us about the Ruth Strauss Foundation. My eyeballs may be sweating, but Andrew Strauss: what a father, what a husband, what a man. Support him if you can.
It’s well hot in London today. In normal circumstances, you’d wonder if a 38-year-old would be able to cope with that, except that 38-year-old is one of the fittest athletes there’s ever been. I do, though, expect him to try and shorten points – he won’t want Sinner to work opportunities to plant his feet and unleash that forehand.
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Tracy Austin notes that Fritz has been improving on a yearly, and has won a couple of grass-court tournaments leading up to this one. The problem he has is his movement is nowhere near as good as Alcaraz’s, so he needs to finish points without really having the game to do that from the back against so accomplished an opponent – and, as Calv reminded us, his volleying isn’t all that. He’ll have to play the game of his life to make it close, and even then…
Anyone ever had a wisdom tooth schlepped out? Goodness me, that is, as Louis van Gaal was wont to say of an even worse activity – watching his Manchester United team play – “a process.” I did not expect to return home and begin violently shivering, but I guess it is men’s semi-final day, so.
Alcaraz must feeling impregnable. First, he beat Sinner from two sets and three match points down to win the French Open, again, then he somehow found a way to beat Jaume Munar at Queen’s before winning the title with some ease, and then he got by Fabio Fognini in the first round here when he looked in profound peril. The extent to which he adores being him is moving.
That, then, is a flat “no” to my question, ‘Could Fritz Stich-Edberg Alcaraz?’ – with an added caveat: “Stich could volley.”
So how will our matches go? Luckily, Coach Calv Betton messages in to tell us: “Can’t see any way Alcaraz loses. Even if Fritz serves well, he doesn’t return well enough and hasn’t won a set off him before. Sinner v Djokovic could be interesting just cos it’s on grass, but in both matches there’s nothing really exciting technically. They’re all just gonna play their games. Djokovic will try and move Sinner around. I suspect he’ll try and slice more as well. I saw him doing a lot in practice this week.”
Also going on:
Preamble
Wotcha one and all and welcome to Wimbledon 2025 – day 12!
Certain things are good every single time, in every single iteration – the world championships in snooker and darts, say, or when a newsreader accidentally drops a swear-word in their narration.
Wimbledon belongs in that category but, like all sporting tournaments, to be counted among the classics it requires epic contests in its final stages – and we’re at that point now. Yesterday, Amanda Anisimova and Aryna Sabalenka gave us what we needed; now it’s the turn of the men, and the portents are good.
Opening up on Centre Court, we’ve a contest of contrasts. Carlos Alcaraz. bidding for a third straight title, is a creative genius – a one-off talent fired by youthfulness and unmatchable self-belief, whose relationship to the game feels almost religious. Conversely, Taylor Fritz is searching, hoping that at some point, perhaps now, his simple power-game clicks for long enough to allow him to win an elusive grand slam title.
He knows that if Alcaraz is at his best, he has a problem. But he also knows that Alcaraz has form for getting lost in the supermarket, befuddled by the multitude of options such rich ability offers. If he serves as well as he can, he can create pressure, and pressure does funny things to anyone and everyone. It’s a long shot, but it’s a legitimate shot.
Following them on to court, we have a match-up that we are mandated to savour: anytime we’re lucky enough to see it could be the last time we’re lucky enough to see it. Jannik Sinner is the reigning champion at both the US and Australian Open, a tennis cyborg of equanimity and reliability. But his defeat in the Roland Garros final, from two sets up, will be with him forever – he knows he is never safe, in danger of defeat from any position – and he he also knows he was headed for elimination in round four, until Grigor Dimitrov’s right pec saved him. He is seeking redemption and reassurance, achievable only by winning matches such as today’s.
In Novak Djokovic, he faces an opponent from whom, for the first time, we’re not really sure what we’re going to get. It’s hard to accept, but the greatest tenniser of all time is old, his metronomic brilliance no longer a certainty. He was fantastic against Dan Evans and Miomir Kecmanovic, less so against better players in Alex de Minaur and Flavio Cobolli. We know he has a performance in him, but we no longer know if and when he’ll locate it – nor, if he does, whether it’ll be enough. And we also don’t know whether, if he loses, this’ll be the last time we see him elevate these courts.
Or, in other words, we’re about to watch four men show us how desperately they need this, prostrating their souls and desires for our entertainment and their fulfilment; on reflection, “good” doesn’t do it justice. This is what it’s all about.
Play: 1.30pm BST
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