Wimbledon 2023 semi final: Defending champion Novak Djokovic on Friday powered through to the finals, his ninth time, after defeating Italy’s Jannik Sinner. Djokovic served his way out of potential trouble to beat Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the semi-finals on Friday.
Friday’s semi-final win puts Djokovic closer to a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title. It’s also his 35th final at all Grand Slam tournaments, more than any man or woman in tennis history.
The 36-year-old faces world number one Carlos Alcaraz or Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev in his fifth successive Wimbledon final on Sunday.
He is seeking a 24th major singles championship overall to set the mark for the most in the Open era, which began in 1968. Roger Federer is the only man to have won eight singles trophies at Wimbledon. Martina Navratilova won the women’s championship nine times.
Djokovic’s latest milestone — his record 35th Grand Slam final — took him past American legend Chris Evert, but he has an even more significant feat in his sights on Sunday.
With 23 Grand Slam singles titles to his name, the world number two is aiming to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24.
Djokovic has already won this season’s Australian Open and French Open as he chases an astonishing clean-sweep of all four Grand Slam events in a single year, with the US Open to come in August.
Italian eighth seed Sinner, 21, came close to a shock victory over Djokovic in the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year before the Serb came from two sets down to win.
This time it was Djokovic who held sway from the start as he took the first set with ease.
After breaking in the third game of the second set, Djokovic found himself in trouble with umpire Richard Haigh.
The British official took a point from Djokovic for hindrance in the fourth game, ruling he made a distracting noise after his shot and just before Sinner was about to hit the ball.
Clearly furious, Djokovic stormed over to the official to ask “what are you doing?”.
Haigh irked Djokovic again moments later, warning him for taking too long to serve as the Serb shook his head in disbelief.
But Djokovic recovered his equilibrium to win the second set with ruthless efficiency.
After saving two set points in the third set, Djokovic responded to the crowd’s vocal support for Sinner by making a sarcastic crying gesture towards the stands.
Djokovic had the last laugh on his tormentors as he won the third set tie-break to clinch a victory that moved him to the brink of more history.
(With agency inputs)
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Updated: 14 Jul 2023, 09:43 PM IST
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