Wimbledon 2023: Novak Djokovic swats aside Jannik Sinner to reach final and continue bid for fifth straight title
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Updated 14/07/2023 at 20:50 GMT
Jannik Sinner gave Novak Djokovic one of his toughest Wimbledon tests last year in a classic five-setter, but the young Italian was blown away in their re-match on Friday in his first Grand Slam semi-final. Djokovic claimed a comfortable straight-sets win to reach the final, where he will face Carlos Alcaraz or Daniil Medvedev. He is one win from an eighth Wimbledon and 24th major title.
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Novak Djokovic is one win away from a 24th Grand Slam title and record-equalling eighth Wimbledon crown after cruising to a straight-sets win over Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.
The Serbian produced a composed and controlled performance to win 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) against the eighth seed in two hours and 46 minutes.
Djokovic will face Carlos Alcaraz or Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final and he will regain the world No. 1 spot if the Spaniard loses his semi-final.
Asked on court after if he's playing the best tennis of his illustrious career, Djokovic said: "I’d like to believe that’s the case.
"We’re part of an individual sport so you have to rely on yourself and put yourself in the best possible state – physical, mental, emotional.
"I try not to look at age as a hindrance or factor. On the contrary I feel that 36 is the new 26, it feels good!”
Sinner, 21, pushed Djokovic to five sets in a quarter-final epic at the All England Club last year but had no answer to his opponent's power and precision in his first Grand Slam semi-final appearance.
The second seed extended his Wimbledon winning streak to an astonishing 34 matches as he bids for a fifth title in a row and one that would see him draw level with Roger Federer on eight overall.
“It was always going to be very close and tense and that was the case. Three very close sets, the scoreline maybe doesn’t give the reality of what was happening on court," Djokovic said.
“It was super close. The third set could’ve gone his way, he had 15-40 at 5-4 and missed a couple of shots to allow me into the tie-break.
“There was a lot of pressure in the third, I had my chances early on, but he’s proven why he’s one of the leaders of the next generation and one of the best players we have in the world, no doubt."
The roof was closed on Centre Court as the rain poured down outside, and the covered venue was soon filled by the echo of booming Sinner winners as the Italian earned a break point in the opening game.
Djokovic saved it but found himself immediately facing another when Sinner battered a 104mph forehand down the line. The 21-year-old couldn’t make it count, though, netting a forehand as the world No. 2 eventually saw out the hold.
Sinner was made to regret his missed opportunities when he was immediately broken in the following game, Djokovic doing what the youngster couldn’t by pouncing on his first break chance by forcing the error with a deep return.
Djokovic faced another break point at 3-1 but again saw it off thanks to a poor missed short forehand from the Italian.
Serving for the set, Djokovic responded to dropping the first point by landing three aces in a row and an unreturnable serve to close out the opener in emphatic fashion.
The Serbian’s record of winning his last 103 Grand Slam matches in which he’s won the first set made for an ominous situation for Sinner as he trudged back to his chair.
And the youngster got off to a disastrous start in the second, coughing up three break points in game three and losing the third to go a set and a break down.
Djokovic was left exasperated in the following game when he received a hindrance call from the umpire for grunting as he hit a backhand, before then receiving a time warning.
But he dusted himself down to hold and saved a break point along the way, his fourth from four in the match.
Sinner had to save two break points while 3-4 down to hold as Djokovic was forced to serve out the set again, which he did with aplomb as he finished with an ace.
The Italian was staring down the barrel of a third-set collapse when he found himself 0-40 down on serve at 1-1, but earned a roar of applause from the crowd as he won five points in a row to take a tenacious hold.
Break chances proved hard to come by from that point, until Sinner suddenly earned two break – and set – points with Djokovic serving at 4-5 down.
The Serbian found all his big-match resolve to calm himself and save both, winning four consecutive points.
A tie-break was required to decide a knife-edge set and Sinner took the early advantage with a return winner for the mini-break at 2-0.
But a painful double-fault from the Italian put it back on serve and a backhand into the net the put Djokovic two points from the final at 5-4 on serve.
The Serbian, who had been visibly irritated with someone in the crowd throughout the tie-break, composed himself and took his two service points to reach yet another final in London.
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