Djokovic & Alcaraz set for final rematch, Paolini up against Krejcikova: 2024 Wimbledon Semi-Final Roundup
The 2024 Wimbledon Championships has witnessed numerous five-setters and spectacular comebacks in the last couple of weeks. Carlos Alcaraz has been flawless on his way to the final as he can become the third youngest player to win two Wimbledon titles.
Meanwhile, Jasmine Paolini and Barbora Krejcikova are eyeing grasscourt glory with maiden final appearances. With that being said, let’s take a look at what unfolded in the 2024 Wimbledon semi-final matches:
Men’s Singles
Carlos Alcaraz vs Daniil Medvedev
Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev played a replay of last year’s Wimbledon semifinal at the Centre Court. Last year, the Spaniard recorded an easy three-set win over the 28-year-old Russian. However, this year, the 2021 US Open champion made his way into the last four with a win over ATP World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Medvedev looked confident as he locked horns against Alcaraz and also won the first set on a tiebreak. However, the 21-year-old didn’t take long to outplay his Russian counterpart and win three consecutive sets to seal the victory. The match ended in 2 hours and 55 minutes with the scoreline reading 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Talking a look at the stats, Medvedev had no chance of winning against the defending champion. The Russian made six double faults, recorded 31 winners and made 24 unforced errors. Meanwhile, Alcaraz only did two double faults, scored 55 winners and made 37 unforced errors. The Spaniard dominated the former US Open champion throughout the match and secured a spot in his second consecutive Wimbledon final.
Novak Djokovic vs Lorenzo Musetti
Novak Djokovic is chasing Roger Federer’s record of eight men’s singles Wimbledon titles
Novak Djokovic got a direct entry in the semi-final of the 2024 Wimbledon after Australia’s Alex de Minaur withdrew from the quarterfinals due to a hip injury he suffered during his fourth-round match against France’s Arthur Fils. On the other side, Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti played a five-setter against America’s Taylor Fritz to reach his first-ever Grand Slam semifinal.
Facing Djokovic for the first time on grass, Musetti faced troubles in breaking the Serb’s serve. Djokovic won the match in straight sets 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 in two hours and 48 minutes; however, the scoreline can’t reflect the 22-year-old Italian’s performance in the match. He pushed the 24-time Grand Slam champion for every point and even had a first-serve percentage of 74%, compared to Djokovic’s 67%.
Musetti also saved nine break points and scored 34 winners, equal to Djokovic. In addition to that, he made nine less unforced errors as compared to the Serbian tennis star, who fumbled 31 times. However, to win against the former ATP World No. 1, a tennis star should give their best in every department. Djokovic will play his 10th Wimbledon final against three-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday.
Women’s Singles
Jasmine Paolini vs Donna Vekic
Donna Vekic, whose career has always suffered from injuries and setbacks, secured her first Grand Slam semi-final with a win over Lulu Sun in the last eight. Meanwhile, Jasmine Paolini never got past the second round of a Grand Slam before 2024; however, she’s currently a two-time Grand Slam finalist.
The two clashed at the Centre Court and Vekic drew the first blood with an attacking approach. Paolini failed to score on return and also lost her serve twice in the first set in 36 minutes. Despite getting a disappointing start, the seventh seed held her head high and kept a tight grasp on her serve in the second set. With a 5-4 lead in the second set, the Italian tennis star broke Vekic’s serve at the best possible time to equal the scoreline.
Both players looked strong and the match was forced into a decider. Interestingly, Vekic broke Paolini’s serve in the very first game. The 28-year-old Italian broke back in the fifth but the match kept getting equal. Both players converted two break points and the decider was forced into a tiebreak. The tiebreaker turned out to be a contest of nip and tuck between the two first-time Wimbledon semifinalists.
Jasmine Paolini has become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the final of Roland Garros and Wimbledon
On her third match point, Paolini sealed the victory 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) after two hours and 51 minutes. The semi-final match between Vekic and Paolini was also the longest women’s singles semi-final match in Wimbledon’s history. The 28-year-old Italian will face Czechia’s Barbora Krejcikova in the final of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.
Elena Rybakina vs Barbora Krejcikova
Fourth seed Elena Rybakina faced Czechia’s Barbora Krejcikova in the semifinals of the 2024 Wimbledon. With the elimination of Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Ons Jabeur, the Kazakh tennis star was the favourite to win the championships. She also won the Wimbledon Championships in 2022 and has at least reached the quarterfinals at the All England Lawn Tennis Club since then.
Meanwhile, she faced Krejcikova, a former French Open champion in the semifinals. Rybakina started solidly as she won the first set 3-6 against the 28-year-old. However, Krejcikova returned in the second set and equalled the match with an identical scoreline. Rybakina had more opportunities to break Krejcikova’s serve but she only converted 33 per cent. Hence, she lost the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and seven minutes.
Both players had identical stats throughout the match but the time of serve breaks made the whole difference. Krejcikova will face Paolini in the final of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. She has already defeated the likes of Danielle Collins and Jelena Ostapenko on her way to the final.
Other Important Results
Men’s Doubles
Henry Patten/Harri Heliovaara and Micheal Venus/Neal Skupski
Unseeded Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara recorded a resounding 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) victory over doubles veteran Micheal Venus and Neal Skupski. Patten and Heliovaara are the favourites to win the grass-court Grand Slam as they have beaten the likes of Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic and Andrea Vavassori/Simone Bolelli in the initial rounds.
Marcel Granollers/Haracio Zebellos vs Jordan Thompson/Max Purcell
The Australian pair of Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell stunned the top seeds Marcel Granollers and Haracio Zebellos to secure a spot in the final of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. Thompson and Purcell handed the top seeds a 6-4, 6-4 defeat in straight sets with the help of two serve breaks. The Australian duo will face Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara in the final.
Women’s Doubles
Desirae Krawczyk/Caroline Dolehide vs Gabriela Dabrowski/Erin Routliffe
Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe massively dominated Desirae Krawczyk and Caroline Dolehide on their serve throughout the semifinal fixture. With the help of strong serve and consistency throughout the match, the Canadian-Australian pair defeated the seventh-seed American pair of Krawczyk and Dolehide 6-4, 6-3. They will face Siniakova and Townsend in the championship match.
Elise Mertens/Hsieh Su-wei vs Katerine Siniakova/Taylor Townsend
Top-seed pair of Elise Mertens and Hsieh Su-wei suffered a shocking 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 defeat against Katerine Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in the women’s doubles semifinals of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. Siniakova won the 2024 French Open alongside Coco Gauff and she’s only a step away from behind the Wimbledon champion partnering with Townsend.