Carlos Alcaraz has beaten Taylor Fritz in four sets to set up a spine-tingling Wimbledon final against either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic. The result guarantees that tennis fans will be treated to a blockbuster on Sunday afternoon, with Djokovic going for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title and Sinner aiming to avenge last month’s French Open final defeat to Alcaraz.
Fritz pushed the world No.2 hard on a scorching afternoon, clinching the second set to temporarily level the match and taking the fourth set to a tiebreak. But, in the end, Alcaraz’s athleticism and shot-making got him through to a third consecutive Wimbledon final, and he is aiming to make it a third consecutive Wimbledon title after a 6-4 5-7 6-3 7-6 win.
The 22-year-old’s last two SW19 triumphs have come at the expense of Djokovic. And though it would be some storyline to see the pair do battle for a third year on the trot, some fans want to see Sinner through to set up a meeting between the two best men’s players on the planet.
Either way it will be a tough assignment for Alcaraz, who set out his stall immediately on Centre Court, breaking Fritz’s serve in the very first game of the match with a healthy dose of assistance from the net, and then blitzing his own service game to love in just over a minute.
There were brief concerns when two fans struggled with the blistering heat. And further concerns when Alcaraz called for the doctor due to an issue with his eye. But he was back to business as soon as they fished whatever was bothering him out, tightening his stranglehold on the opening set as the pair served it out and it finished 6-4 to the Spaniard.
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Although Alcaraz seemed to grow in confidence with each passing game, spraying Fritz around the court with drop shots and lobs, it was the American who manufactured the first opening in the second set. Earning himself three set points against the serve couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment, and he converted at the first time of asking to level the match.
The pendulum swung back towards Alcaraz in the third set, when he executed a perfect lob to break to love and go 2-1 up. From that point on Fritz was chasing, and the last thing he needed was a double fault to give Alcaraz two set points and the opportunity to notch a double break at 5-3. The American saved one but couldn’t save the second as Alcaraz regained the lead.
A gripping fourth set went all the way to a tiebreak as Fritz hung in valiantly. He may be tossing and turning tonight, though, after spurning two set points to force a decider and watching Alcaraz power to victory.
The Spaniard said: “Right now, I’m not thinking about [the final on] Sunday. I just want to enjoy this moment. It’s something that is really difficult, having to think about the final, sometimes I take my time to enjoy [the moment] with the close people I have here. I will have time to play on Sunday. I’m going to watch the second semi-final as well.”
