Alcaraz into second consecutive Wimbledon final after four-set win over Daniil Medvedev

By Charlie Stong on Centre Court at Wimbledon
Gentlemen’s Singles semi-final
Carlos Alcaraz (Sp, 2) bt Daniil Medvedev (5) 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

Carlos Alcaraz produced a scintillating display of tennis to reach his second consecutive Wimbledon final – beating number five seed Daniil Medvedev in four pulsating sets on Centre Court this afternoon.

The reigning champion won 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in 2hrs 55mins – and we will be in for a repeat of last year’s epic five-set final if seven-time winner Novak Djokovic wins his semi-final later today.

In a wonderful first set, which lasted just short of an hour, both players twice broke service as the set was to be decided by a tie-break.

Medvedev avoided the possibility of a default during that first set when he unleashed a volley of swear words towards umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore when she called ‘not-up’ – the ball bouncing twice – after Medvedev attempted to return an Alcaraz drop shot.

The umpire called the supervisor and match referee to the court but it was decided that a warning would suffice – it would have been an unfortunate way for such an occasion to end.

But Medvedev recovered his composure to win the set – flying into a 3-0 lead in the tie-break with a rasping forehand return down the line and bringing up five set points with a cross-court pass. Alcaraz netted to give his opponent the set.

But the Spaniard hit back. He broke in the fourth game of the second set to go 3-1 up thanks to a sublime cross-court forehand, before holding his own serve for the remainder of the set.

He won the third set, too, again with a solitary break – this time in the third game of the set.

By this time Alcaraz was showing not only superb ground strokes from the back of the court, but some wonderful touch play at the net. One fortunate net cord proved that even the gods were with him – and there seemed no stopping him at this stage,

The match appeared all but over when Alcaraz broke again in the opening game of the fourth set, but Medvedev is made of tough stuff, and broke back immediately for 1-1.

It stayed with serve until 3-3 – when Medvedev handed Alcaraz two break points by hitting long a relatively simple forehand.

He managed to save one, but Alcaraz’s fierce ground strokes were forcing Medvedev into mistakes – and he hit a backhand long to give the Spaniard the advantage at 4-3.

Medvedev was fighting with all he had, but Alcaraz was playing his best tennis – and for Medvedev that is just too good.

He held for 5-3 thanks to a fine backhand volley then produced an almighty backhand return of serve down the line to go 0-30 – and within two points of the final – but Medvedev fought back to hold.

However, Alcaraz had the chance to serve out the match at 5-4 in the fourth set.

He went into a 30-0 lead thanks to a perfectly-weighted forehand drop shot at the net, before Medvedev hit back with the next two points for 30-30.

But Alcaraz brought-up match point with a strong serve out wide – and finished when Medvedev it a forehand wide.

Pictured top: Alcaraz v Medvedev (Picture: Charlie Stong)