LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz didn’t get off to the best of starts in the Wimbledon semifinals, but he finished in sparkling fashion. His shot-making rivaled the sun on an afternoon when the Centre Court roof was open, the Spaniard reveling in the elements to make his second successive final in Grand Slams this season and at SW19.
In a last-four clash where tennis rivaled the theatre, Alcaraz scored a 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Daniil Medvedev, closing in just under three hours to make his fourth major final.
If Centre Court ever had a darling, it is Carlos Alcaraz. They worship Roger Federer, the presiding deity of these grounds, they backed Andy Murray passionately, it was his fortress, and they revered Serena Williams, but Alcaraz – school-boy charm and staggering craftsmanship – they just adore.
The near-15,000 capacity was on their feet applauding effort when he sprinted around the court, yo-yoing from baseline to net and then back again before topping it with a tweener that lands just wide. In the fourth set when he patted a sitter into the net and then bent his head and covered his ears, the groan from the crowd was followed by a cheer, as if they were cajoling a child, who had grazed his knees.
Alcaraz struggled with his serve in the first set, where Medvedev was clearly the better player until an incident threw him on the backfoot mentally.
The fifth seed let out a string of expletives after chair umpire Eva Asderaki called a ‘not up’ against him in the ninth game of the opening set. Alcaraz continued playing, ripping one past Medvedev, but the chair umpire called the score, believing the ball had bounced twice before Medvedev picked it up.
Television replays only extended the debate and the mercurial pro exploded. Asderaki called for the supervisor and referee, leaving her chair to consult with them. When she returned, she gave the No. 5 seed a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Medvedev did well to pull himself together and close the set, but thereafter it was Alcaraz all the way. Alcaraz, who was doing really well until then in his on court exchange then turned to the Euros where Spain clashes with England in the final on Sunday. “It’s going to be a really good Sunday for Spanish people with the football,” he said as boos went around. “I only said it will be a good day, I didn’t say Spain will win,” he clarified.
But no one was buying that.
