After losing the first set Novak Djokovic accelerated away from Andrey Rublev; But his determined opponent made Djokovic work terribly hard to take the lead in the match; Eventually the seven-time Wimbledon champion ground him down to win in four sets, 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-3
Wednesday 12 July 2023 10:43, UK
Novak Djokovic defeated Andrey Rublev in four intense sets to advance to the Wimbledon semi-finals at the All England Club on Tuesday.
Conceding the first set spurred Djokovic on to greater heights and he closed out a ferocious last game in the third set to take a lead and ultimately sealed a 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-3 victory.
The end of the third set itself was a battle of will, strength and skill as Djokovic eventually held his serve to put himself ahead in the match for the first time.
Rublev almost affronted the great champion when took the first set off him. On an advantage in the ninth game he drew Djokovic into a rally and powered a heavy forehand past him. From there he cooly served out the rest of the first set.
Djokovic had gone behind in the match but that prompted a ruthless display from him in the next set.
With a groan of exasperation Rublev made errors to hand over two breakpoints early on, allowing Djokovic to break his first service game of the second set. The Serb broke him yet again to go 4-0 up and though Rublev clawed a game back, Djokovic won the second set widely.
Rublev was vastly more competitive in the next set. He threatened the seven-time Wimbledon champion in the second game but Djokovic escaped without being broken.
Level at 2-2 in the third set, in the fifth game Djokovic took Rublev into extended rallies, dragging him into errors to go up a break and then hold his serve.
But when serving for the set Djokovic met a wall of defiance. The biggest cheer from the Centre Court crowd came when Rublev managed to contort himself round a bouncing ball and flick it over the net past the Serb.
Djokovic saved a break point when Rublev fired a return to down the court, and put a finger to his ear to prompt another wild reaction from the crowd.
Still they battled through that 10th game in the third, Djokovic charged down a ball that fell short only to flip it wide and give Rublev another breakpoint.
He couldn't convert it and failed to field a drop shot. Sensing an edge. Djokovic bellowed at the crowd to rev them up even more.
To end the tumultuous exchanges in this game, the ball glanced off high off Rublev's racquet. It sailed through the air, with Djokovic watching it, the crowd watching it. He didn't play it. It bounced, there was a silent pause as it dribbled away before the call 'out' was barked.
Djokovic had sealed the set, gone ahead in the match and carried on his momentum into the fourth set.
He secured an early break and denied Rublev further opportunities to get back into the set.
In his stride, Djokovic landed a huge serve, Rublev, pinned to the side, scudded a return back but had to leave the court to his left wide open and Djokovic blazed a pinpoint winner down on the line.
To add a final flourish Djokovic broke Rublev to win the match itself. A virtuoso start, and a wise challenge of a line call, saw him race ahead in the ninth game of the fourth set and get three match points. Rublev defended one, but in a rally Djokovic cut the ball over the net and across the court.
Rublev sprinted for it, dived for it but could not catch it before a second bounce. He landed on the grass beaten, eventually, in some style.
As Djokovic said afterwards: "They want to get a scalp, they want to get a win. But it ain't happening."
Jannik Sinner beat Roman Safiullin to book a Grand Slam semi-final place for the first time in his career.
The Italian secured a masterful 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-2 win over Safiullin.
He is the youngest man to reach this stage of Wimbledon since 2007, a record that will last only one day, as Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune play each other in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
"What should I say, it means a lot to me, we put a lot of work in and many, many hours and a lot of sacrifices for this moment," Sinner said.
"It means a lot, it is a very nice moment for me. I just try my best every match, I am very happy to be in the semi-finals.
"He is a very tough player to play against."
Sinner took early control of the match and forced break points at 2-2 though could not convert, but made no mistake at 4-4, chasing down a drop shot to set up the break.
Some fierce serving allowed him to quickly take the first set and when he struck early in the second to lead 3-1 it looked like it would be over very quickly.
But Safiullin reeled off five successive games to level up.
Sinner was still able to wrestle back control and regained the lead thanks to four successive games at the end of the third set.
He fended off break points at the start of the fourth and that proved pivotal as he made his move at 3-2, sealing a break as Safiullin pulled a forehand wide.
Sinner wrapped things up quickly after that to book his first last-four appearance at Wimbledon.
