LONDON — Any remaining doubts about Jannik Sinner’s physical condition following his emotional collapse at the French Open have been decisively put to rest.
Sinner ruthlessly overpowered seven-time champion Novak Djokovic with a stellar 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 scoreline on Friday, advancing to the Wimbledon final and showcasing the extraordinary form he exhibited prior to his setback in Paris.
“I knew I had to elevate my game mentally today, and I achieved that,” Sinner remarked.
For Djokovic, at 39 years old, it was yet another missed opportunity to add to his impressive tally of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
However, Djokovic entertained the idea of competing at Wimbledon again when he turns 40: “I would love to, at least one more time,” he stated.
“When I’m fit, I can still perform as a top-five player and compete at the highest level,” Djokovic added confidently.
This victory served as a form of retribution for Sinner, who had fallen to Djokovic in a five-set thriller during the Australian Open semifinals earlier this year.
“Facing Novak, the example he sets is truly inspiring,” said Sinner.
Sinner, aiming to defend his title at the historic grass-court grand slam, is set to meet second-seeded Alexander Zverev in the final on Sunday.
Zverev extended his impressive run by ousting local favorite Arthur Fery, delivering a commanding 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-4 result in front of a star-studded Centre Court audience.
The 29-year-old German is on the hunt for another major trophy just one month after claiming his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.
“Wimbledon has always been a challenge for me, yet here I am in the final,” Zverev remarked. “One more match stands between me and glory on Sunday.”
The weather in southwest London was warm, hovering around 29 degrees Celsius, accompanied by a gentle breeze and slightly cloudier skies than earlier in the week.
It felt worlds apart from the oppressive heat and humidity in Paris when Sinner unexpectedly squandered a solid lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, ranked No. 56, ending his 30-match winning streak in heartbreaking fashion.
Djokovic had just emerged from the longest quarterfinal in Wimbledon history, triumphing over Felix Auger-Aliassime after a marathon of five hours and 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, Sinner hadn’t dropped a set since barely surviving a five-setter against Miomir Kecmanovic in the opening round.
From the outset, Sinner asserted his dominance, driving Djokovic back with fierce groundstrokes and delivering crucial serves at pivotal moments.
When faced with his lone break point early in the third set, Sinner responded with an ace.
Sinner boasts a nine-match winning streak against Zverev
Zverev, fresh off his breakthrough victory at Roland Garros, aims to become the first man in professional history to claim his second Grand Slam title at the next event immediately following his first.
Sinner has dominated his recent matches with Zverev, winning the last nine encounters and claiming 14 consecutive sets.
“I must believe in myself and know that I can win, and that’s precisely my approach,” Zverev asserted prior to knowing his opponent.
Fery, ranked 114th and hailing from just five minutes away from the All England Club, aimed to become the first wild card to reach the final since Goran Ivanisevic’s triumph in 2001.
Zverev managed to keep the enthusiastic Fery fans at bay, capitalizing on an early double fault from Fery during the first-set tiebreaker to seize control.
Standing at six foot six, Zverev consistently overpowered with his serve, reaching speeds of 139 m.p.h., while Fery, standing at five foot nine, served closer to 120 m.p.h.
The British crowd did their utmost to rally behind Fery, chanting his name while sipping Pimm’s under wide-brimmed hats.
At one point, chair umpire Marijana Veljovic had to ask the audience to remain silent.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please refrain from reacting until the end of the point,” Veljovic instructed, reiterating later, “Let’s keep the cheers for after the rally, as it can be disruptive for both players,” met with a warm applause.
After the match, Fery exited to a well-deserved standing ovation, reciprocating the crowd’s appreciation.
“I recognize that an overwhelming majority of the crowd wanted Arthur to prevail, but the atmosphere was nothing short of extraordinary. It was a wonderfully supportive crowd too,” Zverev noted. “Many audiences worldwide could learn from this one.”
Becker praises Zverev
Zverev had never advanced beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon before this tournament.
He has now become the first German male to reach the final of the grass-court Grand Slam since Boris Becker fell to Pete Sampras in 1995.
The last German man to seize the Wimbledon crown was Michael Stich, who triumphed over Becker in the 1991 final.
Becker, a three-time Wimbledon champion, expressed his congratulations to Zverev with a heartfelt message on X, saying, “Glückwunsch Sascha !!!” — using Zverev’s nickname.
The women’s final on Saturday will showcase an exciting matchup between two talented Czech players, Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova.
