Carlos Alcaraz is set to face Novak Djokovic once more in the Wimbledon men's final.

 

Carlos Alcaraz, just a few months past his 21st birthday, seems to be taking his Grand Slam success in stride. He moved closer to a second consecutive Wimbledon title and fourth major championship overall by defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals at Centre Court on Friday.

"I don't feel like a newcomer anymore. I know what to expect before the final. I've been here before," Alcaraz stated. "I'll stick to what worked well for me last year and aim to improve."

In a repeat of last year, Alcaraz will face Novak Djokovic in Sunday's title match. Djokovic secured his spot with a 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-4 win against No. 25 seed Lorenzo Musetti. Djokovic's strong net play, winning 15 of 16 points in the first set and finishing 43 for 56 in that category, was a key factor in his victory.

Here's a revised version of the provided text:

It will mark the first instance of two men meeting in consecutive Wimbledon finals since Djokovic defeated Roger Federer in 2014 and 2015.

"Alcaraz is as complete a player as they come," Djokovic commented on the 2023 final winner, who clinched victory in five sets. "I'll need to bring out my best overall game to beat him."

Djokovic, who hadn't reached any tournament final all season and underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in June, will compete for his eighth championship at the All England Club. A win would tie Federer's record for the most titles by a male player and bring him within one Grand Slam of Martina Navratilova's all-time record of nine, solidifying his place as the first player in tennis history with 25 career Grand Slam titles.

"I know what I need to do," Alcaraz stated confidently. "I'm sure he knows what he needs to do to beat me."

During Djokovic's semifinal, as he let three match points slip away, fans began chanting "Lo-ren-zo!" hoping for a prolonged match. At one point, Djokovic mockingly wiped away fake tears after Musetti failed to convert a break chance in the final game, visibly bothered by the disruption.

Despite concerns over his knee, which was clad in a gray sleeve, Djokovic, seeded No. 2, advanced to his 10th Wimbledon final and 37th Grand Slam final overall, benefitting from a walkover in the quarterfinals due to Alex de Minaur's withdrawal.

"I don't want to stop here," Djokovic asserted. "Hopefully, I'll lift that trophy."

Musetti observed that Djokovic showed no signs of being hindered by his knee during their match.

"He demonstrated great form, not only in tennis but physically," noted Musetti, who reached his first major semifinal.

After a shaky start against Medvedev, Alcaraz reverted to his energetic, crowd-pleasing style, becoming the youngest man to win major titles on grass, clay, and hard courts and the first teenager to top the ATP rankings.

Now, Alcaraz stands one win away from joining Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg as the only men in the Open era with multiple Wimbledon titles before turning 22.

Having already triumphed at the U.S. Open in 2022 and the French Open last month, Alcaraz boasts a flawless record of 3-0 in major finals.

"We're going to see a lot more of him in the future," Djokovic predicted. "He's going to win many more Grand Slams."

On a cloudy afternoon, Alcaraz, seeded No. 3, experienced ups and downs against No. 5 Medvedev of Russia.

"I was extremely nervous at the start," admitted Alcaraz. "He dominated early in the match."

Indeed, Medvedev surged to a 5-2 lead, but his performance and temper faltered thereafter.

Alcaraz broke back to 5-4 after a drop shot that TV replays confirmed bounced twice before Medvedev reached it, prompting a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct from umpire Eva Asderaki after consultation with tournament referee Denise Parnell.

"I said something in Russian, nothing offensive, but just not within the bounds," Medvedev clarified in his press conference.

Medvedev regrouped to secure the set in a tiebreaker but could not sustain his momentum against Alcaraz, who seized control with a crucial break in the fourth set and closed out the match with a commanding display of forehand prowess, recording 24 winners compared to Medvedev's 4.

"Whenever I hit those booming forehands, the crowd gasped," Alcaraz recounted, reflecting on his powerful performance.

Sunday’s sports lineup includes not only the Wimbledon men’s final but also the finale of the men’s soccer European Championship in Germany, where Spain will face England.

When Alcaraz hinted at this during his on-court interview, stating, “It’s going to be a really good day for the Spanish people, as well,” he elicited boos from the local crowd — possibly his biggest slip-up of the day.Alcaraz grinned and clarified, “I didn’t say Spain is going to win. I just meant it’s going to be a really enjoyable day.”