Ons Jabeur beat defending champion Elena Rybakina in a thrilling Wimbledon 2022 final match rematch coming from behind to advance to the semi-finals. The sixth-seeded Tunisian beat her third-seeded opponent on center court with a tenacious 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-1 win. Jabeur, 28, will next face Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka for a place in the 2023 Wimbledon final on Saturday at the All England Club.
Redemption.
Unlike last year’s final, @Ons_Jabeur defeated Elena Rybakina 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Y5aZtYLEne— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2023
Novak Djokovic equalizes Roger Federer with 46 Slam semis
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As Novak Djokovic pursues more historic wins and more milestones, he is well aware that every opponent he faces would love nothing more than to stop him.
“I know they want…to win. But it still doesn’t happen,” he told the crowd at Wimbledon on Tuesday after reaching a 46th Grand Slam semi-final to tie Roger Federer’s record at home. men.
Hearing the loud reaction of the spectators to this boast, Djokovic laughed and observed to himself: “Very humble.”
His 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 win over Andrey Rublev was the 33rd in a row at the All England Club for Djokovic, bringing him one step closer to a fifth consecutive championship and eighth overall there? which would pull him even with Federer on both counts.
“I feel like,” Rublev said of Djokovic, “like he’s playing better and better.”
Djokovic, a 36-year-old Serb, is also aiming for a 24th career major trophy. He has already set the men’s mark in this category by collecting No. 23 at Roland Garros last month, edging out Rafael Nadal. Federer is next on the list with 20.
The only real blow for Djokovic came when Rublev, the No. 7 seed, broke him with a forehand winner to lead 5-4 early on and then served the first set. From there, Djokovic saved all seven break points he faced and walked away, bringing Rublev 0-8 in the Grand Slam quarter-finals.
“Every time he had a chance, that little chance,” Rublev said, “he (did) them. All of them. Well, not quite. Djokovic failed to convert any of his three break points in the first set. After that? He went 5 for 9.”
Next up for Djokovic is a clash against No.8 seed Jannik Sinner, who reached the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time beating Roman Safiullin 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 , 6-2 earlier on Tuesday. .
Djokovic won the previous two heads-up against Sinner, a 21-year-old Italian. This includes the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, when Djokovic lost the opening two sets before advancing in five.
“It’s for sure one of the toughest challenges, if not the toughest,” Sinner said of playing Djokovic.
The other two men’s quarter-finals are on Wednesday: No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz against No. 6 Holger Rune and No. 3 Daniil Medvedev against unranked Chris Eubanks.
On Friday, Sinner will be the last to try to stop Djokovic, who is two wins away from heading to the US Open in August with his sights set on the first Grand Slam of the calendar year for a man since Rod Laver accomplished the feat in 1969.
“Any tennis player wants to be in a position where everyone wants to win against you on the court. … Pressure is part of what we do. It’s part of our sport. It will never go away, no matter how many of Grands Prix. Slams you win or how many matches you’ve won or how many years you’ve been playing professionally on the tour,” Djokovic said.
“The pressure is paramount every time I step out onto the court, especially here, Center Court at Wimbledon. But at the same time, it awakens the most beautiful emotions in me and it motivates me beyond what I ever dreamed of, in fact, and inspires me to play my best tennis.”