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Novak Djokovic meets Denis Shapovalov in the Wimbledon semifinals. AP
In a game of attrition, Novak Djokovic does better again. Takes the second set even though he has five breakpoints and Shapovalov wins 22 of 29 points on serve. Two sets to fall in love with for Djokovic.
Novak Djokovic comes out of a breakdown and takes the first set 7: 6 (3). Denis Shapovalov had won 15 points in a row on serve before being broken on serve for the set. And in the first sentence that Djokovic was confronted with, he served his first double fault. Oops!
We’re shifting our focus to the second semi-final between Djokovic, who is playing his 10th Wimbledon semi-final, and Shapovalov, in his first Grand Slam semi-final. Djokovic holds a 6-0 (!) Head-to-head race.
Oof, nervous double fault from Matteo Berrettini, the very first of the game. Berrettini wins the second point with a nice volley, sending Hurkacz into a corner of the field before approaching the net and volleying into the empty side. A huge smash from Berrettini, and he’s 30-15 now. A beautiful ace, it’s 40-15 and two match points. It’s a service winner from Matteo Berrettini and he’s securing a spot in his very first Grand Slam final! Hurkacz did well to win that third set, but he looked good and really second best for most of the game.
Hurkacz gets his first small break when Berrettini serves. Berrettini fails to return after two consecutive serves from Hurkacz and the score is 3-0. OHHH, IT’S A TERRIBLE MISS FROM BERRETTINI! This should have been a routine volley winner, but he’s making a real mess of it. Nervousness from the Italian? 4-0 for Hurkacz. Berrettini stops the flow of points with an ace, now 4: 1. Smash from Hurkacz and he’s 5-1 ahead. Ace from Hurkacz! Oh no, wait, maybe not, Berrettini challenges. Yes, that was out. Hurkacz serves a second time and then makes a mistake in the rally. 5-2. Berrettini to serve, he tries to repeat his serve with a dropshot, but Hurkacz comes in time and hits a winner. 6-2. Big serve by Berrettini, 6-3. Hurkacz served with three set points. HURKACZ WINS THE THIRD SET! After looking almost untouchable, Berrettini now has to go back to the drawing board!
For Hurkacz it is getting worse and worse. He fluffs a forehand and sends it far. Then he beats a seemingly good forehand winner who is called out. Hurkacz appeals, but it was actually out. 0-30. Hurkacz then takes a point back after approaching the net and passing Berrettini with a volley. Hurkacz levels at 30-30 after tracking his shot into the net again. He looks determined to avoid the bagel. Hurkacz hits a serve wide and it is judged he ran out. He challenges, and this time it goes its own way, the point is repeated. He made a double mistake on the repetition, however, and Berrettini set the point again. AND IT’S A BAGEL! Berrettini finished the second set 6-0 with a forehand winner placed behind a crawling Hurkacz, an excellent set for the Italian.
Hurkacz waived the first point after missing a forehand and the ball in has skyrocketed. Berrettini then makes a mistake with the forehand and hits it far. Berrettini hits a two-handed backhand that appears to be jumping on the line, but it is called. Berrettini reviews and Hawkeye shows it was actually out there. 30-15. Hurkacz’s mistake on a backhand, he hits it right in the middle of the net, 30-30. Oh, Hurkacz did very well there to take a dropshot after a great serve, which Berrettini barely manages, but the Italian can’t keep his shot in the field. Hurkacz then makes a mistake after trying in vain to bend over and take a low shot. Two. A rally ends with a really dejected miss from Hurkacz, he looks like he doesn’t want to be here at the moment. Target value and benefit for Berrettini. Oh, another shocking missed forehand from Hurkacz, it hit the bat and went out of the game. Berrettini takes the first set!
Tennis fans can expect a lot of action today, because the semi-finals of the men’s singles in Wimbledon begins with an exciting duel between the seventh seeded Matteo Berrettini and the 14th seeded Hubert Hurkacz, before defending champion Novak Djokovic against the 10th seed sat Denis. Shapovalov takes over. Stay tuned, we’ll bring you the latest updates and the live score!
Djokovic holds on to love. Delivered the place at 40-0, Shapovalov is way behind the baseline trying a subtle dropshot and the Canadian tries to pick it up but can’t.
Shapovalov hits the tip of the net, gets the ribbon and the ball trickles past . Djokovic tries to shut it down, but that was very close to the grid. Crowd roars, Djokovic applauds. On the next point, Shapovalov with a smash to hold the serve and hold this set on the serve
Djokovic is now kicking the chalk up. Find the outside of the line on serve at 30-0 for an ace. And the game ends with a simple putaway smash from Djokovic for a love hold
or let yourself be poisoned now on the serve from Shapovalov. Djokovic had to somehow duck, keep himself from being hit with the bat. At 15-15 Djokovic slips. Stumbles. Go flat on the grass at the baseline. He did that several times in the fortnight. Once said « grass loves him ». Unimpressed by this, he runs off and meets, as possible, perfect praise in the corner. Shapovalov tries a tweener, but it hits the net. On 30-30, Shapovalov with a fourth double fault. And it brings Novak the seventh stop. Rescued! And saved with a centimeter-accurate backhand winner. Shapovalov takes the ball early and pings the sideline. Djokovic can only watch in shock and awe. I would guess more shock. But he stays in when Shapovalov hits the net and gives another breakpoint. And save another. Djokovic returns with a well-played block serve, but Shapovalov is good to attack the next ball to the volley winner. With two, on the second serve, Djokovic does too much and misses the sideline. Denis with a serve in Djokovic’s body and this return is also great. What a stop! There were three such games in this set alone.
Djokovic holds after adding a double fault to his record. Shapovalov hits the net on the forehand service return. 3-3 in the third set
Shapovalov looked like he was going to serve. 30-0 and then makes two mistakes to make it 30-30. Hold on. Big serve and then a drive volley winner. On the second serve at 40-30 Shapovalov finds the line, kicks up the chalk and Djokovic’s backhand return goes far
Djokovic with a love grip. Only his third game. He could use more of it
Shapovalov is now serving under the pump. Djokovic with fantastic defensive tennis to keep the point going and wait for Shapovalov to miss and he does. At 15-30, Shapovalov with a reasonable volley to hit a drop or punch for a deep volley. He does both and sees Djokovic behind him with a backhand cross-court. Two breakpoints for Djokovic now. One saved because he couldn’t get the second serve back. Another saved. 129 mph down the T and hard to get back. On two, a third double fault to bring out the breakpoint again. Another strong serve in the middle and the return is long. Djokovic with an outstretched, sliding defensive forehand, but it hits the tape. At the game point Shapovalov with an ace and a huge roar of his own. ‘Come on’ the Canadian calls!
Preview: Since Roger Federer has already been eliminated, Novak Djokovic is the only known face in the men’s semi-finals at Wimbledon.
The other three remaining players – Matteo Berrettini from Italy, number 7, Denis Shapovalov from Canada and number 14 Hubert Hurkacz from Poland – had never reached the quarter-finals at the All England Club before.
Only Berrettini had reached the last four in a Grand Slam tournament and that at the US Open 2019. That makes Djokovic the big favorite for the sixth Wimbledon crown – and the third in a row – and equals the men’s record of a total of 20 Grand Slam titles shared by Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic must first to get past Shapovalov in the semifinals. The 22-year-old Shapovalov is only the third Canadian to reach the Wimbledon semifinals. He has a 0-6 record against Djokovic.
Hurkacz defeated Federer in the quarter-finals in straight sets and will try to follow suit with a win over Berrettini. Hurkacz won their only previous matchup.
Changed date:
July 09, 2021 10:58:28 PM IST
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This year there will be a record number of 12 first-time Wimbledon quarter-finalists – two more than the previous record in 2014. Six for men and six for women.
With the victory, Djokovic continued his pursuit of a total of 20th Grand Slam title, which would offset the men’s record currently shared by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Federer turns 40 next month and has never been able to conjure up the serves and shots that have led him to a total of 20 Grand Slam titles.
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