Alcaraz, Sinner Set Channel Slam Showdown At Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

WIMBLEDON/WASHINGTON, July 11, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Both World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner won their respective Wimbledon Championships semifinals Friday to set up a Channel Slam showdown on Centre Court in Sunday’s title final.

First, the 22-year-old Alcaraz from Spain defeated No. 5 seed Taylor Fritz of the United States, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6), in two hours and 49 minutes to move within one victory of garnering a third consecutive Wimbledon title. In their first meeting on grass, it was the third straight time the No. 2 seed Alcaraz has defeated Fritz.

Then, the top-seeded Sinner proved to be too much for a not-fully-fit Novak Djokovic. The three-time major champion from Italy beat the No. 6 seed from Serbia, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, in an hour and 55 minutes to advance. It sets up a highly-anticipated rematch of last month’s epic, five-set Roland-Garros final, which Alcaraz won.

“It was a really difficult match as always when I have to play against Taylor. Even tougher with the conditions, it was really hot today,” Alcaraz said during his on-court interview after earning his 20th-straight Wimbledon victory dating back to the start of his 2023 title run at the All England Club. “I’m just really happy with everything that I’ve done today. I dealt with the nerves, playing here in a semi-final is not easy. I’m really proud with the way I stayed calm and thought clearly. I’m pleased about my level today.”

Alcaraz won 88 percent of his first-serve points, dropping just nine of 73 points, and struck 38 winners. He finished with 13 aces, won 31 of 41 net-point exchanges, converted three of seven break points and outpointed Fritz 122-112. The American No. 1 countered with 19 aces and 44 winners overall but also committed 24 unforced errors – one less than Alcaraz – and broke his opponent just once in two opportunities.

“I thought that I played a good match,” Fritz said during his post-match news conference. “A couple of hiccups first game of the match and then in the third set. The second and fourth [sets], I definitely did exactly what I set out to do and play how I wanted to play.

“I thought Carlos served exceptionally well today as well.”

Although Alcaraz suffered a slight dip in his levels near the end of the second set, he recovered nicely in the third and won with his power from the baseline and consistency of his groundstrokes. Friday’s victory was the 24th straight tour-level win for Alcaraz, who is attempting to join Hall of Famer Bjorn Borg as the only male players in the Open Era to achieve the Roland-Garros/Wimbledon double in back-to-back years. Borg, who attended Friday’s match, achieved the feat from 1978 to 1980.

“I’m not thinking about the winning streak or the results at all. This is my dream, stepping on these beautiful courts and playing tennis in the most beautiful tournaments in the world,” Alcaraz added. “That’s all I try to think at every tournament and why I try to bring the joy to the courts.”

Following a five-set opening-round victory over Fabio Fognini of Italy, Alcaraz has settled into a nice playing rhythm and has strung together quality wins over No. 14 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia in the round of 16, Cameron Norrie of Great Britain in the quarterfinals and Fritz.

Sinner defeats Djokovic to set up Wimbledon blockbuster final

Meanwhile, Sinner swept a hindered 38-year-old Djokovic in straight sets to reach his first Wimbledon final to set up a rematch against Alcaraz, whom he let slip three championship points in last month’s French Open final. It will also be Sinner’s fourth-straight Grand Slam title match appearance dating back to last year’s US Open final and continuing with this year’s Australian Open, Roland-Garros and Wimbledon finals.

“I can’t believe it,” Sinner said during his on-court interview, asked about reaching his first Wimbledon title match. “It’s a tournament I always watched when I was young on television. I would never have imagined that I could play here in the final, so it’s amazing. I know how much work me and my team are putting in. My dad and my brother arrived today, so it’s even more special.”

Sinner’s steady attack against Djokovic yielded an 81-percent efficiency rate on his first-serve points won. It also resulted in the South Tyrolean hitting 36 winners – including 12 aces – and he made just 17 unforced errors. Sinner won 11 of 17 net-point exchanges, converted five of 10 break points and outpointed Djokovic 95-70. The seven-time Wimbledon champion countered with 12 aces and 27 winners overall, but committed 28 unforced errors. He broke Sinner just once in two attempts.

Although Djokovic took an early 3-0 lead in the third set, Sinner recovered well and proved a solid hitter from the baseline.

“On my side, I served very well,” Sinner said. “I felt great on the court. I was moving much better today, and I think we all saw, especially in the third set, that he was a bit injured. He fell in the last couple of points in the quarterfinals. He was in a very difficult situation, but I tried to stay calm and tried to play the best tennis I can, especially in the important moments.”

With Sinner’s victory over the 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, it means Sunday’s final will be the 17th occasion in the Open Era that the Top 2 seeds have contested the Wimbledon men’s singles final. In the previous 16 meetings, the No. 1 seeds lead the No. 2 seeds 10-6. It will also be the 54th occasion in the Open Era that the Top 2 seeds have contested a Grand Slam singles final. In the previous 53 meetings, the No. 1 seeds lead the No. 2 seeds 27-26.

Also, with Alcaraz and Sinner both winning their semifinals, they’ve become the fifth pair of players in history to contest the men’s singles final at both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in the same year – and just the second pair to do so in the Open Era, after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in 2006-08.

Around the All England Club

• While the men’s singles semifinals occupied Centre Court on Friday, the women’s doubles semifinals were busy across the All England Club grounds on No. 1 Court.

In the first semifinal, No. 8 seeds Veronika Kudermetova of Russia and Elise Mertens of Belgium rallied to defeat unseeded Olivia Gadecki of Australia and Desirae Krawczyk of the United States, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, in two hours.

In the second semifinal, Hsieh Su-Wei of Taiwan and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia upset defending champions and No. 1 seeds Katerina Siniakova of Czechia and Taylor Townsend of the United States, 7-5, 6-4, in one hour and 41 minutes.

The winners will met in the final on Sunday afternoon.

Sinikakova was back on court a day after winning her first major mixed doubles title. She and Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands teamed for the first time. It was the fourth time Siniakova has lifted a Wimbledon trophy, after winning the women’s doubles title twice with Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia (2018, 2022) and last year with Townsend.

• Among the Royal Box spectators Friday were: actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Rami Malek and Benedict Cumberbatch; designer Tom Ford and fashion editor Anna Wintour.

Friday’s Wimbledon results

Saturday’s Wimbledon order of play

By the numbers

With Jannik Sinner‘s victory over Novak Djokovic in today’s semifinal round, he’s just only the second player – and first since Rafael Nadal in 2008-09 – to beat Djokovic five consecutive times. He’s also done it on four different kinds of courts.

While Nadal’s wins came at the Olympics, Davis Cup, Monte-Carlo, Rome and Madrid – all but the Olympics were on clay – Sinner’s victories thus far have been at the Davis Cup, Australian Open, Shanghai Masters, Roland-Garros and now Wimbledon. They have been split among indoor hard court, outdoor hard court, clay and now grass.

Sinner has completed the set of final appearances at all four Grand Slam events, just the 11th man to complete that feat in the Open Era.

“Quotable …”

“Sometimes, I get tired of all the chores that I have to do on a daily basis to get my body ready.

“It’s a lot of hours spent off the court, in the gym, or on the table. I have about 10 people in my team working daily on every single aspect of my on-court, off-court career and preparation and recovery.”

– Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, 38, during his post-match news conference Wednesday after defeating Flavio Cobolli on how draining it can be to prepare for every Grand Slam match.

 

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