Novak Djokovic lost his cool with umpire Richard Haigh and the Centre Court crowd but saw off Jannik Sinner in straight sets to reach a fifth consecutive Wimbledon final.
The Serbian is making history with virtually every victory and a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (4) win in his record-equalling 46th grand slam semi-final earned him a record-breaking 35th final, taking him past American great Chris Evert.
He had to save two set points in the third set but is now only one victory away from matching Roger Federer by winning an eighth Wimbledon title and Margaret Court with a 24th grand slam crown.
This was not entirely smooth sailing, though, and he was clearly annoyed by the decision of British umpire Haigh to call a hindrance against him at 15-15 in the fourth game of the second set.
Djokovic had suddenly let out a loud and late grunt after hitting a backhand down the line that he probably expected to be a winner only for Sinner to reach it.
It is unusual for a grunt to elicit a hindrance ruling and Djokovic reacted with disbelief, saying to Haigh: “You must be joking. Calling that in the semi-final of Wimbledon? What are you doing?”
To compound the situation, Haigh then gave Djokovic a time violation for taking too long on his serve in the same game but the reigning champion managed to keep his cool and chose not to initiate another confrontation.
It was a different story with the crowd, who were willing Sinner to make a contest of it, when the 21-year-old created two set points at 4-5 in the third set.
Djokovic clapped sarcastically and gave a thumbs up when noise delayed his second serve, with a man shouting ‘Vamos Rafa’, and was then booed for taunting the crowd when Sinner missed both chances.
When Djokovic held serve, he turned to the fans closest to him and mimed crying, but it was he, once again, who had the last laugh, extending his winning streak of tie-breaks to 15 at grand slams.
Sinner and Djokovic had met in the quarter-finals here last year, where the 21-year-old Italian opened up a two-set lead only for his opponent to win in five.
Both looked a little edgy at the start, with Sinner contesting his first slam semi-final after the sort of draw that players dream of.
The eighth seed could not convert two break points, though, and in the second game Djokovic took his chance.
Sinner, who struggled with his footwork throughout the contest on the slippery grass, had another break point in the fifth game only to miss with a forehand, and three aces in a row helped Djokovic clinch the set.
Sinner is one of the biggest ball-strikers in the game and he elicited oohs and aahs from the crowd at the sound made by the slap of strings on ball under the Centre Court roof.
There were too many errors to go with the winners, though, and an over-cooked forehand on break point at 1-1 in the second set put Djokovic firmly in control.
Sinner had a chance in the contentious fourth game to retrieve the deficit immediately only to net another forehand and, although Djokovic showed signs of stress, gesticulating towards his box, he found his first serve again just when he needed it most to serve out a two-set lead.
Djokovic’s biggest weapon is arguably his ability to lock in at the most important moments and that – helped by 15 years extra experience – was the main difference between the two players.
Sinner produced his own clutch serving to recover from 0-40 at 1-1 in the third set and looked the better player for much of the remainder of it but he could not capitalise on an early lead in the tie-break as Djokovic claimed a 21st win from his last 22 slam semi-finals.
Ons Jabeur hopes she has served her apprenticeship as she bids to take the final step and win a maiden grand slam title on Saturday.
No other woman can match the Tunisian’s achievement in reaching three grand slam finals in the last five tournaments after finishing as runner-up at Wimbledon last year to Elena Rybakina and at the US Open to Iga Swiatek.
Jabeur has certainly proved her grass-court credentials this fortnight, beating grand slam champions in the last four rounds, including Rybakina and second seed Aryna Sabalenka from a set down.
“Last year was my first final of a grand slam,” said Jabeur. “I’m definitely getting closer to winning the grand slam that I always wished.
“I would say I always believed. But sometimes you would question and doubt it if it’s going to happen, if it’s ever going to happen. Being in the last stages, I think it does help you believe more.
“I’m going to learn a lot from not only Wimbledon’s final but also US Open final, and give it my best. Maybe this year was all about trying two times and getting it right the third time.”
Standing in Jabeur’s way is an unexpected finalist in Czech Marketa Vondrousova, who reached the 2019 French Open final as a teenager but has been mostly off the radar since.
Having already beaten the players who defeated her at Wimbledon the last two years, Jabeur will now aim to make it third time lucky in another way having lost to Vondrousova twice this year, at the Australian Open and Indian Wells.
It will be a match for the purists, with Jabeur and Vondrousova the two best exponents of the drop shot in the women’s game and possessing far more in their arsenals than simply power.
Jabeur said: “I’m going for my revenge. I didn’t win against her this year. She has good hands. She plays very good.
“I will try to focus on myself a lot. I’m not sure how she’s going to play (in her) second grand slam final. We’re both hungry to win. Whoever deserves it more will win.”
Jabeur is already the first African woman and Arab player to reach a slam singles final in the open era, and is known as the ‘minister of happiness’ in her home country for her sunny demeanour and the pride she has engendered.
Lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish would be a hugely significant moment for her home region and Jabeur is buoyed by the support.
“The good thing about those people, they always tell me, ‘Win or lose, we love you’,” she said. “That’s great words to hear. I always try to remember that, even though I know everybody wants me to win.
“For me, there is one goal: I’m going for it. I will prepare 100 per cent. Hopefully I can make history, not just for Tunisia, but for Africa.”
Vondrousova’s resurgence this season has come after she missed six months of 2022 following two operations on her left wrist.
The 24-year-old, who was dropped by clothing sponsor Nike, came to London last summer as a tourist, watching a friend play in qualifying before visiting the London Eye and going shopping.
This is the first time Vondrousova has come close to matching what she achieved at Roland Garros four years ago, when a semi-final victory over Britain’s Johanna Konta was followed by a one-sided loss to Ashleigh Barty.
Like Jabeur, she has done things the hard way here, beating four seeded players before seeing off crowd favourite Elina Svitolina in the last four.
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She is aiming to become the first unseeded women’s champion at Wimbledon and believes her previous final experience will come into play, saying: “I think it can definitely help in tough moments.
“I was very young, so I think it was just too much for me back then. I’m a bit older now. I think I’m a bit of a different person. I’m just very happy to be through this again.”
Vondrousova, who will break into the top 10 for the first time if she claims the title, can also draw on the remarkable success of female players from her country.
Fellow left-hander Petra Kvitova was the last Czech winner of Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014 but since then Lucie Safarova, Karolina Pliskova, Barbora Krejcikova and Karolina Muchova have also reached slam finals.
Novak Djokovic’s 33-match unbeaten run at Wimbledon will be tested against Italian eighth seed Jannik Sinner on men’s semi-final day in SW19.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz comes up against Russia’s third seed Daniil Medvedev in the other last-four clash on Centre Court.
Henry Searle carries the British flag in the juniors with a semi-final appearance and Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid are in wheelchair action.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at day 12 of the Championships.
Djokovic closes in on Federer record
It was 2017 when Novak Djokovic last lost at Wimbledon and even then it was because he retired injured in a quarter-final against Tomas Berdych.
Since then it has been total domination and he is just two wins away from a fifth successive title and eighth overall.
Standing in his path of a ninth final is 21-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner, who is Wimbledon’s poster boy for the future having featured prominently in an official pre-tournament picture.
He was two sets up against Djokovic in last year’s quarter-final before the Serbian hit back and it is going to be a huge challenge for him to even repeat winning two sets never mind stopping a 33-match unbeaten run.
Russian roulette for finals weekend
Following Aryna Sabalenka’s semi-final defeat to Ons Jabeur on Thursday, men’s third seed Daniil Medvedev is the last remaining Russian or Belarusian in the tournament.
That still leaves the possibility of an awkward presentation for the Princess of Wales on Sunday as tensions over the optics surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continue to simmer.
For that to happen, though, Medvedev has to beat 20-year-old world number one Carlos Alcaraz, who has shown over the last fortnight that he is the likely heir to Djokovic’s throne.
The Spaniard has looked assured on grass and his versatility and athleticism means he is probably the most likely to stop Djokovic should he get past the Russian.
Searle carrying British flag/h2>
Henry Searle is making a name for himself in the boys’ singles as he is through to the semi-final and is the only home player left in the tournament.
Searle, who took out the top seed earlier in the first round, dispatched eighth seed Joao Fonseca in the quarter-finals and now comes up against American Cooper Williams.
The last-four meeting gets a Court 12 showing as he becomes the first British boy to make the last four since Jack Draper in 2018.
Order of play
Centre Court
Jannik Sinner v Novak Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz v Daniil Medvedev
Court One
Caroline Dolehide/Shuai Zhang v Storm Hunter/Elise Mertens
Hsieh Su-wei/Barbora Strycova v Marie Bouzkova/Sara Sorribes Tormo
Weather
Strong winds with risk of rain.
Ons Jabeur believes her new-found patience helped propel her into another Wimbledon final.
The Tunisian sixth seed, last year’s runner-up, came from a set down to beat Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-3 on Centre Court.
Sabalenka, banned from Wimbledon last year over the role of Belarus in the war in Ukraine, was a point from going a set and 5-3 up.
But Jabeur’s rousing comeback spared Wimbledon chiefs the uncomfortable situation of the Princess of Wales handing a trophy to, and shaking hands with, a player from Russia’s allied nation Belarus in the women’s final.
Instead of a politically-charged clash between Sabalenka and Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, Centre Court will host Jabeur against Czech Marketa Vondrousova on Saturday.
Jabeur was devastated after losing to Elena Rybakina in last year’s final, but believes she is a different player 12 months on.
“Maybe the old me would have lost that match today,” she said. “Probably 12 months ago, for sure. Maybe also a little bit before, like six months ago. It’s a different player.
“I’m working on myself like crazy. You have no idea what I’m doing. Every time there is something, I’m very tough with myself, try to improve everything. Very impatient sometimes, which is not good.
“Maybe my injuries slowed me down and teach me to be patient and accept what’s going on.”
A set and a break down, Jabeur came out fighting on the Sabalenka serve and it finally paid off.
“I was like, honestly, I’m not going to give a s***, I’m just going to go in and hit my return,” she added.
“Yeah, it was coming. I was returning much better. She missed some shots that did help me stay in the game. I was fighting every point. We just wait for a little bit of chance sometime to get the game, and that’s what happened.”
Sabalenka has reached four consecutive semi-finals but only won one of them, when she took the Australian Open title earlier this year.
“I didn’t play my best tennis today. It was just, like, a combo of everything. A little bit of nerves, a little bit of luck for her at some points,” she said.
“I mean, she just played really well. She played unbelievable tennis. In those key moments, she got a little bit more lucky, and I didn’t play the way I was supposed to play.”
Victory would have elevated Sabalenka above Iga Swiatek to become world number one.
“I wouldn’t say that I was thinking about that. I mean, for me it’s more about how you finish the year than during the year you’re first, second, you just go back and forth,” she added.
“For me it’s more about the finish to the year. I’ll keep pushing myself and do everything I can to finish this year as world number one.”
Britain’s Henry Searle is being cheered on to junior success at Wimbledon by his football-supporting mates.
The 17-year-old from Wolverhampton reached his first junior grand slam semi-final in the boys’ singles with a 7-6 (3) 6-3 victory over Brazilian eighth seed Joao Fonseca.
Searle’s loud fan club certainly made themselves heard on Court Three, and he said: “It’s great knowing I have so much support from home. I don’t think there’s many of the players here that have that sort of environment.
“They’re all avid Wolves supporters so they’re used to a good crowd. I don’t think it’s intentional, it’s just their normal reaction, but they enjoy it.”
Searle reached the quarter-finals of the French Open and has built on that here, beginning his campaign by knocking out top seed Juan Carlos Prado Angelo and going on to set up a semi-final clash with American fourth seed Cooper Williams.
“It’s definitely given me confidence playing against some of the top juniors at this level, knowing going into any match that I can play any player and giving it my best will hopefully make me come out on top,” said Searle, who trains at the Lawn Tennis Association’s national academy in Loughborough.
“It was a really cool experience being able to play on Court Three and I managed to put in a good performance against a very good opponent. It’s a dream from a young age to win at Wimbledon and to have a few wins this week is pretty amazing.”
Liam Broady and Jack Draper both reached junior finals at Wimbledon in recent years but no British boy has won the title since Stanley Matthews, son of the famous footballer, in 1962.
“That was a long time ago. I don’t really know too much about him but I’m just focusing on the match tomorrow, not thinking too far ahead,” said Searle.
Draper’s run in 2018 was much more recent, and Searle has been inspired by his fellow lefty.
“I remember watching bits of it,” he said. “I like to think he plays a little bit similar to myself. I take a few things from him and try to implement them into my game. He’s doing extremely well.”
Ranah Stoiber and Mika Stojsavljevic were both hoping to join Searle in the semi-finals but neither could progress beyond the last eight in the girls’ singles.
Fourteen-year-old Stojsavljevic has had a memorable week on her Wimbledon debut and fought back from 5-2 down in the second set to force a decider against Slovakian fifth seed Renata Jamrichova only to lose out 6-2 6-7 (6) 6-1.
Stoiber, 18, also took the opening set against Czech Nikola Bartunkova, who is in the top 350 of the women’s rankings, but fell to a 1-6 6-1 6-2 defeat.
British duo Isabelle Lacy and Hannah Klugman, meanwhile, are through to the semi-finals of the girls’ doubles.
Ons Jabeur will meet the unseeded Marketa Vondrousova in Saturday’s women’s final at Wimbledon.
Jabeur, last year’s runner-up, earned a shot at redemption by upsetting world number two Aryna Sabalenka after Vondrousova crushed the dreams of Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the first semi-final.
Elsewhere at the All England Club, Britain’s Neal Skupski secured a place in the final of the men’s doubles.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how day 11 of the Championships unfolded.
Ons-toppable?
Ons Jabeur was devastated after losing to Elina Rybakina in the 2022 final but believes she is a different player 12 months on.
The sixth seed defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-3 to the delight of the Centre Court crowd – and likely to the relief of the All England Club and Buckingham Palace.
Australian Open champion Sabalenka, banned from last year’s tournament due to the war in Ukraine, was a point from going a set and 5-3 up.
But Jabeur’s rousing comeback spared Wimbledon chiefs the uncomfortable prospect of the Princess of Wales handing a trophy to, and shaking hands with, a player from Russia’s allied nation Belarus in the women’s final.
Instead of a politically-charged clash, the gutsy Tunisian will bid to make it second time lucky, with underdog Vondrousova standing in her way.
Tweet of the daySvitolina unable to mount mother of all comebacks
Elina Svitolina’s inspiring run ended as Czech world number 42 Vondrousova reached her maiden Wimbledon final.
Svitolina’s efforts amid war in her homeland of Ukraine and only nine months after giving birth to daughter Skai have been one of the stories of the tournament.
But she was quickly on the backfoot in her quest to reach a first major final and was unable to battle back against 24-year-old Vondrousova, who broke three times in the opening set en route to a 6-3 6-3 success.
Far more at home on clay than grass, Vondrousova is enjoying her first significant grand slam run since she made the final at the French Open in 2019 as a teenager before losing to Ashleigh Barty.
She had beaten Svitolina comfortably in their last meeting in the semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and it was the same story on Thursday.
Flying the British flag
Neal Skupski is one win away from a Wimbledon hat-trick after reaching the men’s doubles final with partner Wesley Koolhof.
The Liverpudlian won the mixed doubles in 2021 and 2022 and will have a shot at his first men’s title after a 7-5 6-4 win over Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden on Court One.
One break of serve in each set was enough for top seeds Skupski and Koolhof to get the job done as they booked a Centre Court spot on Saturday.
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Ken Skupski has opted to go on his family holiday in Ibiza instead of watching his brother Neal in the Wimbledon men’s doubles final.
Ken, who retired last year, is now coaching his younger sibling and had a conundrum after booking a family getaway to Ibiza that clashed with the finals weekend in SW19.
Neal revealed on Thursday that Ken was contemplating staying at the tournament for as long as he and partner Wesley Koolhof were in it but headed home after their 7-5 6-4 semi-final win over Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden.
He will now provide tactical analysis on their final opponents Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos from the Balearic Islands.
“He has just left,” Neal said of his brother. “His flight is 5am in the morning so he is driving back now and has a 2.30am taxi to the airport so he won’t be here.
“I’m perfectly fine with it, I knew the situation well in advance. He will be on the phone and doing all the homework tomorrow. We are a very good team together so I don’t think it will affect us.
“He has been waiting for this holiday for a couple of years now, Covid pushed it back a little bit, they changed the date twice.
“He doesn’t get to go on holiday often with his family because he is always away with me so I am not going to begrudge him a holiday with his kids. It is just one of those things.”
Skupski is going for a hat-trick of Wimbledon titles after winning the 2021 and 2022 mixed doubles crown.
Winning the men’s would mean more to him and he would become the first Briton to do so since fellow Liverpudlian Jonny Marray did it in 2012.
“It is always nice to have a Brit at the end of the tournament at Wimbledon, luckily it’s been myself over the last couple of years in the mixed doubles,” he said.
“This is the one we want, this is the pinnacle achievement if we are able to get over the line.
“It’s not easy to win a grand slam. It will be nice to have another Liverpool fan win Wimbledon.
“I saw Jonny earlier and asked him if he had any tips for me going into the semi-final. He didn’t give me any, he just laughed and said, ‘You’re number one, you’ll be fine’. So those are the words of wisdom he had for me.
“It is not easy to get over the line. We played US Open final last year and hopefully we can take some experience from that. We are looking forward to it, it’s a chance to get our first grand slam together. We’ll embrace the pressure.”
Seventeen-year-old Henry Searle reached his first junior grand slam semi-final in the boys’ singles at Wimbledon.
Searle, from Wolverhampton, has gone one better than his run at the French Open last month thanks to a 7-6 (3) 6-3 victory over Brazilian eighth seed Joao Fonseca.
Liam Broady and Jack Draper both reached junior finals at Wimbledon in recent years but no British boy has won the title since Stanley Matthews, son of the famous footballer, in 1962.
Ranah Stoiber and Mika Stojsavljevic were both hoping to join Searle in the semi-finals but neither could progress beyond the last eight in the girls’ singles.
Fourteen-year-old Stojsavljevic has had a memorable week on her Wimbledon debut and fought back from 5-2 down in the second set to force a decider against Slovakian fifth seed Renata Jamrichova only to lose out 6-2 6-7 (6) 6-1.
Stoiber, 18, also took the opening set against Czech Nikola Bartunkova, who is in the top 350 of the women’s rankings, but fell to a 1-6 6-1 6-2 defeat.
British duo Isabelle Lacy and Hannah Klugman, meanwhile, are through to the semi-finals of the girls’ doubles.
Ons Jabeur is through to a second consecutive Wimbledon final after coming from a set down to beat Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.
The Tunisian sixth seed, last year’s runner-up, won 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-3 to the delight of the Centre Court crowd, and likely to the relief of the All England Club and Buckingham Palace.
Sabalenka, banned from Wimbledon last year over the role of Belarus in the war in Ukraine, was a point from going a set and 5-3 up.
But Jabeur’s rousing comeback spared Wimbledon chiefs the uncomfortable situation of the Princess of Wales handing a trophy to, and shaking hands with, a player from Russia’s allied nation Belarus in the women’s final.
Instead of a politically-charged clash between Sabalenka and Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, Centre Court will host Jabeur against Czech Marketa Vondrousova on Saturday.
Jabeur was devastated after losing to Elina Rybakina in last year’s final, but believes she is a different player 12 months on.
She said: “I’m working a lot with my mental coach who’s been helping me a lot and I might be writing a book about it.
“I’m very proud of me, the old me maybe would have lost that match but I’m glad I kept digging deep and finding the strength.
“I’m learning to transform bad energy into good energy. After the anger of the first set I just tried to stay focused. I’m accepting it, digging deep to go and win this match, and hopefully this tournament.”
Jabeur led the first-set tie-break but dumped a backhand into the net and then sent a forehand long as Sabalenka forged ahead.
She seemed set to capitulate at 2-2 in the second, slipping to 0-40 before a double fault put Sabalenka in control.
But Sabalenka tightened up horribly and a double-fault gave Jabeur break point which she converted for 4-4.
With the Centre Court crowd right behind her, Jabeur somehow saved a break point by staying in a ridiculous rally until Sabalenka smashed a forehand wide, and then levelled the match with an unstoppable return on to the baseline.
The 28-year-old piled the pressure on the Sabalenka serve and won a nerve-jangling game with a third break point to go 4-2 up in the decider.
Sabalenka saved two match points on serve but Jabeur finished the job behind her own with an ace before raising her arms in triumph.
Novak Djokovic hopes to show Wimbledon’s poster boy for the future Jannik Sinner that he is not ready to give up his Centre Court crown just yet.
The 36-year-old is gunning for a fifth straight title in SW19, which would move him level with record-holder Roger Federer on eight, but must first get past Sinner in Friday’s semi-final.
The Italian, 21, featured prominently in an official pre-tournament poster alongside Carlos Alcaraz as the future of the Championships. His presence on illustrator Grant Gruenhaupt’s artwork raised eyebrows but he is living up to the hype after reaching his first grand slam semi-final.
Djokovic rates Sinner as a future star, but the Serbian is motivated to reach yet another final.
“He’s playing on a very high level. He likes to play on grass,” Djokovic said.
“He likes to play on quick surfaces because he likes to be aggressive and take control of the point. From both forehand and backhand, he’s smashing the ball really, really hard, trying to be the one that is going to dictate the point from early on. I know his game well.
“He’s so young, so of course it’s expected that he’s going to improve. He is improving, no doubt, I think with the serve. He’s been serving better. On grass, obviously makes a difference.
“He’s a very complete player. Now first time in semis of Wimbledon. I’m looking forward to that challenge. I’m sure that he’s going to be very, very motivated to win. On the other hand, I am, too.”
Sinner will have bad memories of playing Djokovic at Wimbledon after losing in last year’s quarter-final, having gone two sets up.
Asked what he took from that experience, he replied smiling: “First of all, you have to go up two sets to love.
“In the other way, it’s going to be a completely different match than last year. He knows me better as I know him better also. It’s going to be also a little bit tactical.
“In the other way, it is also a little bit mental, no? If you play against Novak, it’s always tough to play here, especially on grand slams.
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“It’s for sure one of the toughest, if not the toughest, challenge in front of me. He has won 23 grand slams. Won Australia, won Paris. He is in a huge confidence boost also.
“It’s going to be tough, but I will obviously try my best. Last year I played a very good match against him. I have learned about it.”
Daniil Medvedev could provide Russian presence on finals weekend if he gets past world number one Alcaraz.
Medvedev was banned from playing in last year’s tournament, but has returned in style, flying under the radar to his first Wimbledon semi-final.
Despite the situation with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Medvedev says he has felt the support from the crowd.
“It’s been amazing,” he said. “It’s been amazing. Let’s see how it is on Centre Court because so far I have been playing only on Court One. I think it’s going to be the same. It’s going to be amazing to play Carlos next.
Alcaraz will provide his toughest test yet as the Spaniard is playing well enough to suggest that Centre Court could become a very happy hunting ground in the future.
On reaching the last four, Alcaraz said: “It’s a dream for me. It’s a dream for me to be able to play semi-final here in Wimbledon.
“I’m going to say, Medvedev’s an octopus. He catches every ball. It is amazing. He’s an amazing athlete.”
Elina Svitolina became tearful as she reflected on the end of her hopes of winning the Wimbledon title for Ukraine.
Svitolina’s efforts amid war in her homeland and only nine months after giving birth to daughter Skai have been one of the stories of the tournament.
But her hopes of reaching a first grand slam final were ended in emphatic fashion by 24-year-old Czech Marketa Vondrousova, whose 6-3 6-3 victory makes her the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since 1963.
Far more at home on clay than grass, this is Vondrousova’s first big grand slam run since she lost to Ashleigh Barty in the French Open final as a teenager in 2019.
Svitolina was desperately disappointed with her performance and struggled to keep her composure as she spoke about the support she had received from back home.
“I got a lot of messages from different people,” she said. “It’s unbelievable that they’ve been there with me all the way. Hopefully they continue.
“For sure I hope I can build on this. But right now I’m just really disappointed with the performance that I showed today. That’s what I have right now in my mind.
“Probably I will need a couple of days to really reflect on everything that happened because I was trying to be really focused, even after the win against Iga (Swiatek).”
Vadym Prystaiko, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, was in the Royal Box, with Svitolina’s run having provided cheer amid dark times for her compatriots back home.
Sergiy Stakhovsky celebrated the best moment of his career on Centre Court 10 years ago when he beat Roger Federer but that is a distant memory now as he prepares to return to the front line.
He told the Telegraph: “There’s not a person in Ukraine who isn’t following her story. She brings joy where there is despair, brings hope where there is misery. She is fulfilling a lot of things the Ukrainians need these days.”
Although it did not maintain its ban on Russian and Belarusian players, Wimbledon organisers have tried to show they are still on Ukraine’s side, welcoming 1,000 refugees to the Championships and helping Ukrainian players with training and accommodation costs.
They are also donating one pound for every fan who comes through the gates to the British Red Cross’ humanitarian work in Ukraine, with the total at £412,132 after 10 days.
Svitolina has spoken at length about the new mindset she has on her return to tennis, as a new mother and as a result of the war, with on-court defeats no longer the disaster they might once have felt.
But here she found herself perhaps the favourite against a similarly unexpected semi-finalist – this was the first time in the open era that a last-four clash here had featured two unseeded players.
The freedom with which Svitolina had progressed through her first five rounds was missing, while Vondrousova is also a player who offers a frustrating lack of rhythm.
The Czech mixes big hits from the baseline with drop shots, lobs and short angles and she wrapped up the first set in less than half an hour, breaking Svitolina’s serve three times in a row.
The fans tried to will Svitolina, who lost both her previous slam semi-finals here and at the US Open in 2019, back into the match in the second set but Vondrousova was firmly in her groove and she moved to the brink of victory at 4-0.
The Czech can be a nervous closer and there were definite signs of tension as Svitolina broke twice in succession to claw her way back to 4-3 only to play another poor game, and she looked emotional as she walked off court to a standing ovation.
The Ukrainian admitted she has been carrying a lot on her shoulders, saying: “For sure it’s a big motivation but it’s a lot of responsibility, a lot of tension. I try to balance it as much as I can.
“But sometimes it gets maybe too much. But I don’t want to take it as an excuse that I lost today. I try to take it as a motivation for me. I just hope that Ukrainian people continue supporting me. It was really amazing. And I just hope that I’m going to get another chance.”
Neal Skupski is one win away from a Wimbledon hat-trick after reaching the men’s doubles final with partner Wesley Koolhof.
The Liverpudlian won the mixed doubles in 2021 and 2022 and will have a shot at his first men’s title after a 7-5 6-4 win over Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden on Court One.
One break of serve in each set was enough for Skupski and Koolhof, who are top seeds, to get the job done as they made it into their second grand slam final together, booking a Centre Court appearance on Saturday.
Skupski said winning the men’s doubles at Wimbledon is the “pinnacle” of what he can achieve and the buoyant celebrations at the end showed just what this means to him.
It was an even start to the first set before Skupski had to hold off break points at 3-4.
That proved important as the British-Dutch pair then broke Ebden’s serve at 5-5 which allowed Skupski to serve it out.
Another break at a crunch time in the second set tightened their grip on the game as Bopanna was picked off to make it 5-4.
Koolhof this time did the honours, serving it out to book a final place against 15th seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.
Marketa Vondrousova ended the inspiring run of Elina Svitolina to reach her first Wimbledon final.
Svitolina’s efforts amid war in her homeland of Ukraine and only nine months after giving birth to daughter Skai have been one of the stories of the tournament.
But her hopes of reaching a first grand slam final were ended in emphatic fashion by 24-year-old Czech Vondrousova, whose 6-3 6-3 victory makes her the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since 1963.
Far more at home on clay than grass, this is Vondrousova’s first big grand slam run since she made the final at the French Open in 2019 as a teenager, losing to Ashleigh Barty.
She had beaten Svitolina comfortably in their last meeting in the semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and it was the same story here, despite the Ukrainian prompting hopes of a comeback in the second set.
Vadym Prystaiko, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, was in the Royal Box, with Svitolina’s run having provided cheer amid dark times for her compatriots back home.
Sergiy Stakhovsky celebrated the best moment of his career on Centre Court 10 years ago when he beat Roger Federer but that is a distant memory now as he prepares to return to the front line.
He told the Telegraph: “There’s not a person in Ukraine who isn’t following her story. She brings joy where there is despair, brings hope where there is misery. She is fulfilling a lot of things the Ukrainians need these days.”
Although it did not maintain its ban on Russian and Belarusian players, Wimbledon organisers have tried to show they are still on Ukraine’s side, welcoming 1,000 refugees to the Championships and helping Ukrainian players with training and accommodation costs.
They are also donating one pound for every fan who comes through the gates to the British Red Cross’ humanitarian work in Ukraine, with the total at £412,132 after 10 days.
Although the crowd were very much on Svitolina’s side, there will surely be a tinge of relief at the All England Club that the final cannot now see the Ukrainian take on Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in what would have been a hugely awkward occasion.
Svitolina has spoken at length about the new mindset she has brought with her on her return to tennis, as a new mother and as a result of the war, with on-court defeats no longer the disaster they might once have felt.
There was no doubt she desperately wanted to keep her run going, though, and suddenly she found herself perhaps the favourite against a similarly unexpected semi-finalist – this was the first time in the open era that a last-four clash here had featured two unseeded players.
The freedom with which Svitolina had progressed through her first five rounds was missing here, while Vondrousova is also a player who offers a frustrating lack of rhythm.
The Czech mixes big hits from the baseline with drop shots, lobs and short angles and she wrapped up the first set in less than half an hour, breaking Svitolina’s serve three times in a row.
Vondrousova may not be a household name but her talent has never been in question and she would surely have built on her French Open breakthrough earlier but for injury troubles.
The fans tried to will Svitolina, who lost both her previous slam semi-finals here and at the US Open in 2019, back into the match in the second set but Vondrousova was firmly in her groove and she moved to the brink of victory at 4-0.
Svitolina had fought back from almost as dire a position against Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round and she got a slight foothold by breaking the Vondrousova serve in a long fifth game.
The Czech can be a nervous closer and there were definite signs of tension as Svitolina broke again to get back on serve, with Vondrousova missing a collective six chances to move to within a game of victory.
Svitolina gave her a helping hand with another poor game, though, and Vondrousova made it across the line before her opponent departed Centre Court to a standing ovation.
Andy Murray’s former coach Jamie Delgado believes the Scot still has what it takes to win the top titles despite his early Wimbledon exit.
Murray came into his favourite tournament, where he has been a two-time winner, with genuine hope that he could have a deep run for the first time since his hip operation in 2019.
But he was on the wrong end of a five-set thriller with fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round, leaving him with more grand slam disappointment.
But Delgado, who was in Murray’s camp when he won his second Wimbledon crown and went to world number one in 2016, believes his former player can still target the top prizes.
“I am sure he will be devastated by that,” Delgado said of the Tsitsipas defeat.
“He had opportunities to win that match and the draw opened up a little bit and he could have had a really deep run here.
“On a surface he really likes and the history he has got here, I am sure he will be really disappointed.
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“He has been playing really well, physically he has looked really good and he is moving well. Once he gets his head around it he will be able to have a good run at some other tournaments.
“He would have ranking goals but for him it is more competing for the biggest titles rather than rankings.
“I still think he can win events and he has shown enough that he can beat someone like Tsitsipas.
“He just needs a little bit of luck to get through a match like that. He could have been in the semi-finals here, I really think that.
“Watching him now it doesn’t even look like he has anything in the hip. That has probably been a huge achievement in itself, seeing him play and move almost as good as he ever did.
“We all sometimes forget when you are watching him that he has had that injury but he has worked so hard to get himself feeling this way.”
Both Murray and his brother Jamie, who is a year older at 37, are still competing at the highest level and Delgado says it is great to see.
“They love it and so they should,” he added. “You are doing what you love, it’s your passion from a young age and they are still doing it at the highest level.
“Watching them play on Centre Court at Wimbledon you wish it was yourself doing it.
“I think they will do it for as long as they can physically and they can still compete for titles so I don’t see them stopping any time soon.”
Four players with the goal of winning a maiden Wimbledon title this weekend will take to Centre Court for the women’s semi-finals on Thursday.
Crowd favourite Elina Svitolina takes on Marketa Vondrousova while second seed Aryna Sabalenka could become the world number one when she goes up against Ons Jabeur.
Briton Neal Skupski’s hopes of a men’s doubles title remain alive as he is in the semi-finals while there are three Britons in the last eight of the junior singles events.
Here, the PA news agency unpacks day 11 of the Championships.
‘Super woman’ Svitolina ready to go again
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Elina Svitolina continues her remarkable Wimbledon journey with her first last-four appearance and she will likely have Centre Court on her side against Marketa Vondrousova.
The Ukrainian has channelled the atrocities that are going on in her home country during a thrilling run which has seen her beat grand slam champions Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek.
It is no wonder that Vondrousova has called her opponent “super woman” considering that Svitolina gave birth last October.
But Czech world number 42 Vondrousova has gone under the radar at this tournament and will present Svitolina with a big threat as she enjoys a career-best run in SW19.
Practice partners become foes
After gaining revenge for last year’s final defeat against Elena Rybakina in the quarter-final, things do not get much easier for Ons Jabeur as waiting for her in the last four is Aryna Sabalenka.
Jabeur has been a joy to watch with her industry and craft getting her to this point, but Sabalenka will offer a different proposition.
The Belarusian is playing as well as she ever has, with sheer brute force from the baseline, and she is eyeing a win that would not only take her to a first Wimbledon final but also earn the world number one spot.
Sabalenka is wary of the Tunisian, though, after revealing that they practised together before the tournament and her opponent played “unbelievable”. Jabeur would give anything to bring that level to the match.
Neal carrying the flag
Neal Skupski is the last Briton standing in this year’s tournament as he is into the semi-finals of the men’s doubles with partner Wesley Koolhof.
The Liverpudlian is just two wins away from a Wimbledon hat-trick, having won the mixed doubles in 2021 and 2022, but admits that if he could win with Koolhof, that would be the pinnacle for him.
Matthew Ebden and Rohan Bopanna await in the semi-final, to be played on Court One, and with Skupski being the only adult British player left in the singles or doubles, he will have the home support.
Brit kids rock
The juniors are making waves with 14-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic, 18-year-old Ranah Stoiber and 17-year-old Henry Searle ensuring there are three British singles players in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2018.
Stojsavljevic, ranked 282nd and making her Wimbledon debut, meets Slovakian fifth seed Renata Jamrichova, while Stoiber, who is in her final year of juniors, will next face Czech Nikola Bartunkova.
Searle, from Wolverhampton and in his second successive grand slam quarter-final, took out top seed Juan Carlos Prado Angelo in the first round and on Wednesday beat France’s Arthur Gea to set up a clash with eighth seed Joao Fonseca.
Order of playCentre Court
Elina Svitolina v Marketa Vondrousova
Ons Jabeur v Sabalenka
Mate Pavic/Lyudmyla Kichenok v Joran Vliegen/Xu Yifan
Court One
Kevin Krawietz/Tim Puetz v Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos
Wesley Koolhof/Neal Skupski v Rohan Bopanna/Matthew Ebden
Alfie Hewett/Gordon Reid v Martin De La Puente/Gustavo Fernandez
Venus King/Yaroslava Shvedova v Cara Black/Caroline Wozniacki
Weather
Warm and staying dry
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