Defending champion Jannik Sinner ended Novak Djokovic’s latest bid to claim a record 25th Grand Slam title in ruthless fashion with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win to reach the Wimbledon final on Friday.
The searing temperatures of previous days dipped for the day's second semifinal, but Sinner turned up the heat on the 39-year-old Djokovic, who barely laid a glove on the Italian.
Sinner will bid for a fifth Grand Slam title on Sunday against Germany's Alexander Zverev who ended the dream run of British wildcard Arthur Fery earlier on centre court. For Djokovic, it was a fifth loss in his last six Grand Slam semifinals and the clock is ticking for the Serb and his hopes of moving ahead of Margaret Court on the all-time list for most major titles in the history of the sport.
The Centre Court crowd, who have not always been Djokovic’s firmest fans, joined in chants of “Nole, Nole” throughout the match, but Sinner was just too good, serving 16 aces and conceding just six points on his first serve.
After Djokovic left the famous arena to loud applause, Sinner paid tribute to a player who still remains better than virtually every player in the world. “It's the most special tournament we have and it means a lot to me, of course, playing against Novak,” Sinner said on court. “He is still a true inspiration not only for you guys, but also for the new generation, what he’s doing is incredible.”
Seventh seed Djokovic admitted there was little he could do against a rampant Sinner, who played his seventh Grand Slam final. “He was playing so solid, his serve is now an incredible weapon,” Djokovic, who vowed to return next year, said.
Top seed Sinner has raised his level round by round after a tough start to his title defence when he was taken to five sets by lesser-known Serb Miomir Kecmanovic.
He was dialled in from the first game against the man he lost to at the same stage of this year's Australian Open, peppering the lines with punishing ground strokes and dominating on his laser-like serving. Sinner did not face a single break point for nearly two hours of Friday's contest, by which time he had the match under control. Even that was saved with a booming ace.
British wildcard Fery’s dream run ends
Arthur Fery's unforgettable Wimbledon ended as Alexander Zverev denied him a place in the final, but the British wildcard is still glad he opted out of a holiday in Greece to experience a fairytale fortnight.
Fery, who arrived at the Championships as World Number 114 and had never been beyond the second round of a Grand Slam, defied all expectations to reach the semifinals. An encounter against second seed Zverev proved one step too far and the French Open champion was a class above in a 7-6 (7-0) 6-2 6-4 win.
As the German shared a warm embrace with Fery at the net, the Centre Court crowd rose as one and applauded the player who wrote one of the best British Wimbledon stories of the past few years. After a dismal start that resulted in 15 of his compatriots falling in the first round, Fery has carried British singles hopes further than anyone imagined, and dazzled the home crowd with his fighting spirit. Fery, who turns 24 in two days, will be confirmed as the new British Number 1 and will rise to 36th in the world rankings on Monday.
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