Jannik Sinner will play Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final on Sunday. The world No. 1 holds his serve to beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets – 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
Novak Djokovic manages to hold serve but it’s only delaying the inevitable.
He looks a beaten man out there, physically more than anything else as he continues to move gingerly and has given up on chasing down a few balls.
Credit to him for hanging in there though; Sinner had two match points in that game but Djokovic continues to fight out on Centre Court.
There has been a gulf in quality between these two players today as Sinner serves for a place in the final at 5-4.
A fantastic start to that game for Djokovic who smashed a winner down the line.
But Sinner then gets behind his serve and holds with relative ease. Sinner is now one game away from booking his place in Sunday’s Wimbledon final.
Has Djokovic got anything left to give?
This could be the beginning of the end for Novak Djokovic, whose serve is broken once again as Jannik Sinner takes the lead for the first time in this third set.
From being just a point away from going 4-0 up, Djokovic now finds himself 4-3 down.
Djokovic has missed some easy shots but he is also starting to move a little gingerly, at one point even uncharacteristically giving up on a ball.
It looked for all the world that Djokovic was on his way to winning this set, but now it’s anyone’s guess.
Sinner holds his serve with ease to level the scores at 3-3 in the third.
All of a sudden Djokovic doesn’t look quite as comfortable out there.
And just like that, the momentum has turned again on Centre Court.
Novak Djokovic missed an easy volley at 15-15 – it looks as though he may have been blinded by the sun – to open the door for Sinner.
In truth, the Italian just had to wait for the Djokovic errors in that game. A strange dip in concentration from the 24-time grand slam champion.
Sinner to serve at 2-3.
Djokovic started this game with a skip in his step, producing two well-crafted shots to race into a 30-0 lead.
He then worked up a break point but Sinner managed to keep his calm to bring himself back into the game.
The Italian wrapped up his service game after Djokovic returned a powerful serve long but the Serb is still very much in control and leads by 3-1.
All of a sudden, Novak Djokovic is brimming with confidence.
The Serb shows a delightfully deft touch at the net as he slides in to put away a Jannik Sinner drop shot.
He holds serve with ease to open up a 3-0 lead in this third set.
Well, I didn’t see that coming.
Sinner looked to be in control of that game but produced some wayward shots to hand Djokovic a chance to break.
The Serb didn’t need to be asked twice and is now 2-0 up in the third set.
The crowd are right behind him.
The trainer clearly worked his magic on Novak Djokovic during that medical timeout, as the Serb holds serve to love to begin the third set.
It will take something truly special from Djokovic now to turn this around.
Much was made of Djokovic’s injury ahead of this semifinal.
The 38-year-old slipped awkwardly at the end of his quarterfinal win and whatever damage was done has clearly not properly healed.
A trainer is tending to his leg right now and Djokovic is clearly in some discomfort.
He’s continuing on into the third set here.
Djokovic went 15-0 up in that game and looked to be in control of the next point before Sinner produced a wonderful backhand that the Serbian was unable to return.
The 38-year-old let out a small smile, as if to acknowledge the quality of his opponent.
Sinner then served out the set, and is now just one set away from the final.
It just feels like a matter of time – and the trainers are taking a look at Djokovic.
Novak Djokovic is still in this set – just!
He saves a break and set point in that service game that was set up by a crushing forehand winner down the line from Jannik Sinner.
There were five deuces in that lengthy game as Djokovic’s serve continues to keep him within touching distance of Sinner in this match.
Sinner serving for the set at 5-3.
One fan behind the Royal Box is trying his best to rally the crowd behind Djokovic, starting chants of “Novak, Novak” but his hero is struggling to make much of a dent in Sinner’s serve.
The Italian moves 5-2 clear after his opponent crashes a forehand into the net and is a game from taking the second set.
Novak Djokovic will be feeling a lot better after that quick hold of serve, hammering down an ace to close the gap to 4-2 in the second set.
The heat has died down a bit now on Centre Court with three quarters of the stands now in much-welcome shade.
On court it’s very much business as usual in this match, with Sinner producing an array of brilliant shots to keep ahead.
He makes it 4-1 with a 123 mph ace out wide.
Novak Djokovic crushes a forehand – the shot he has struggled with most today – to finally get on the score board in this set.
The crowd gives him an extra loud ovation as they attempt to lift Djokovic out of this difficult spell.
Novak Djokovic can’t get close to Jannik Sinner’s serve at the moment.
The Italian has won 19 out of 20 points he’s made a first serve in this match: total domination.
Sinner now leads 3-0 in the second set and this could get away from Djokovic quickly if he can’t find a solution.
Things go from bad to worse for Novak Djokovic who is broken for a third time at the start of the second set.
The Serb just can’t live with the absurd power and accuracy Jannik Sinner is currently hitting with, and his forehand in particular is struggling at the moment.
Sinner now serving at 2-0.
It’s all a bit easy for Sinner as he breezes to another hold without dropping a point.
You might be tempted to rule a Djokovic comeback out already, but the 24-time grand slam champion has history of turning these sort of situations around.
Still, Sinner leads 1-0 on this second set.
