With a quick 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) victory on Friday, Novak Djokovic breezed past Italy's Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon, advancing into a record 35th Grand Slam final. Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz will play later on Friday, and the defending champion is still waiting for his final opponent as he aims to capture another Wimbledon title.
Novak Djokovic on the verge of equalling Roger Federer's record:
Djokovic, who has not lost on Centre Court in ten years, has transformed the court into his own private domain. The Serbian is currently one victory away from claiming his eighth grasscourt major championship, which would tie Roger Federer's record.
The 21-year-old Sinner was outclassed, falling flat on the big stage and allowing Djokovic to turn the screw at crucial junctures in the match. Sinner had been seeking to become the youngest player to reach the Wimbledon final since 2007.
He missed several break points, including two set points in the third, while Djokovic was as clinical as ever, placing consistent pressure on the eighth-seeded Italian's serve and seizing opportunities as they presented themselves.
The 36-year-old Serbian sealed the match as the young Sinner hit a backhanded shot into the net, leaving Djokovic with a loud applause at the Centre Court.
"Semi-finals are always going to be very intense" - Novak Djokovic
Following the game, Djokovic admitted that the match was closer than the scoreline suggested and said, as quoted by The Times of India:
"Semi-finals are always going to be very intense. Maybe the scoreline doesn't give the reality of what happened on court. It was super close."
With referee Richard Haigh reducing a point for Djokovic yelling loudly, the veteran admitted he thought it would break his momentum.
"The hindrance could have changed the course of the match. I felt nervous after that call, but I managed to re-group. It's probably the first time it's happened to me, I don't normally have extended grunts. Maybe it was an echo in the roof."
