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Carlos Alcaraz always says that finals are played to be won. At the moment, the Spaniard has done just that because he has won all three finals: US Open (2022), Wimbledon (2023) and Roland Garros (2024).
This Sunday he will play in his fourth thanks to his victory on Friday against Daniil Medvedev, 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the semi-final.
Medvedev came up short in 2023 and did it again, irretrievably against a superior opponent.
Alcaraz on a run at Wimbledon
Alcaraz has won his last 13 matches at Wimbledon. He has not lost since the 2022 round of 16 to Jannik Sinner. Nadal reached 20, between 2008 and 2011. Pete Sampras won 31. 'Nole' reached 34 wins to Federer's and Borg's 41.
The winner of the match between Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti will try to end the streak of the tennis player from El Palmar. Medvedev could not do it. And Carlitos showed signs in the first game of what the match could be like. Dominating from the base line, he already had a break opportunity. He missed it with a long forehand.
Daniil needed seven minutes to win his first point. Alcaraz, on the other hand, scored his first while on serve.The Russian went into full court mode and broke in the fourth game. The score soared to 3-1 and service for him. That forced a quick reaction from the Spaniard. And so it was. From a possible 4-1 it went to 3-2. Everything remained the same.
The Muscovite lost his serve at 5-3 and paid for it with the chair umpire because he contested a call against him. He protested and it cost him a warning.
The first set went to a tiebreak and Daniil was better. He only lost one point to claim the opening set.
Alcaraz responds
Alcaraz's reaction was not long in coming. In no time at all, he took control of the match and established a favorable score of 4-1. He had minimized the unforced errors and increased his winners, and quickly took the set.
Momentum firmly swung in Alcaraz's favour in the third set, as he quickly found himself up 3-1.
Medvedev looked to his team for solutions that his coach Gilles Cervara was unable to find. With serves hitting 212 kilometers per hour, Carlitos levitated on the grass to win the third set. He had a 5-2 ball, but had to wait until 6-4 to take it.
Alcaraz's legs reached every shot and Medevedv quickly saw that the writing was on the wall.
The best tennis player of the moment seemed to put the match to rest with a forehand that sounded like a missile. Another forehand, but outside, cost him the tie to a game in the fourth set.
Carlitos accelerated towards the triumph with a sixth break and an indescribable game of reflexes at the net, with Medvedev's afternoon coming to an end soon after.