Carlos Alcaraz set up a Wimbledon final for the ages after dismantling Daniil Medvedev on Centre Court.
The 20-year-old became the youngest man to reach the final since fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal in 2006 with a commanding 6-3 6-3 6-3 victory.
Alcaraz, the world number one and top seed, will face Novak Djokovic, the seven-time champion who is 16 years his senior, in Sunday’s mouthwatering showpiece.
Clinical Carlos 😮💨@carlosalcaraz comfortably moves past No.3 seed Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 to move into his first Wimbledon final 🙌#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/ZJO1hlYcOI
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 14, 2023
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Medvedev, the third seed and a former US Open champion, has been playing some superb grass-court tennis this fortnight.
But Alcaraz is no respecter of reputations, and the changing of the tennis guard could finally be on the cards if the man from Murcia plays with this ferocity against Djokovic.
It was a victory which also spared Wimbledon chiefs the uncomfortable situation of the Princess of Wales handing a trophy to, and shaking hands with, a player from Russia, after they were banned from the Championships last year due to the war in Ukraine.
Medvedev beat Alcaraz in the second round in SW19 two years ago, in what was only the then teenager’s second match on grass.
But the 27-year-old knew he was facing a very different opponent this year. Alcaraz, after all, is the current US Open champion and won on the turf at Queen’s last month.
Medvedev clearly had a gameplan and stood so far behind the baseline to receive the Alcaraz serve that he was virtually on Court One.
It was a tactic which Alcaraz exploited, serving and volleying to great effect as well as throwing in his usual dose of drop shots, including three winners in one service hold.
Alcaraz grabbed the solitary break in the first set, hitting a vicious return to the feet of Medvedev, who could only float his reply long.
At 1-1 in the second, a stunning reaction volley at the net brought up another break point for the youngster, converted with almost audacious ease, and another break put him two sets up with a little over an hour on the Rolex.
Medvedev twice retrieved breaks in the third, but it was only delaying the inevitable, with Alcaraz sealing the deal with another brutal forehand before raising his arms in celebration.
The Spaniard said: “As I said before it is a dream for me playing a semi-final here, to be able to play a final here at Wimbledon I can’t believe it.
“I am going to enjoy this amazing moment for me and (then it’s) time to keep training.
“It is really difficult to close the match, you have to be really focused against Daniil, he fought to the last moment.
“He is an amazing fighter, runner, player. I had to show my best in that tough moment and play aggressive. I had to be myself and that was the key to close that match.”
