Alcaraz, Sabalenka take contrasting routes to semis

LONDON, July 10 ------ Carlos Alcaraz swept into the Wimbledon semifinals for a third successive year as the defending champion demolished Cameron Norrie, while world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka survived a major scare to reach the last four. Alcaraz needed just 99 minutes to win 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 in his most commanding performance in this year’s tournament.

The Spanish second seed dropped four sets in a series of scrappy displays during his run to the last eight. But Alcaraz was back to his imperious best in the quarterfinals, blasting 39 winners against the overwhelmed British world No. 61, setting up a last-four clash with American fifth seed Taylor Fritz, who beat Russian 17th seed Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7/4).

Alcaraz is on a career-best 23-match winning run since losing to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April – a superb streak which has brought him titles at the French Open, the Rome Masters and Monte Carlo. The Spaniard, who vanquished Novak Djokovic in the last two Wimbledon finals, has won 34 of his 37 matches on grass. Sabalenka, meanwhile, fought back from the brink of a shock exit to reach the semifinals with a gutsy 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win against Germany’s Laura Siegemund.

The 27-year-old top seed is through to the Wimbledon semifinals for the third time after losing at that stage in 2021 and 2023. Iga Swiatek reached the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time in her illustrious career, beating Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 7-5. The Polish eighth seed will face Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva or former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic for a place in Saturday’s final.

Source: philstar.com