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Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski broke the Grand Slam barrier in style Saturday at Wimbledon, where the top-seeded pairing outclassed Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos to lift their maiden major crown.

The Dutch-British team prevailed 6-4, 6-4 to spark emotional celebrations on Centre Court. Koolhof and Skupski’s imaginative returning earned them the only break of each set as they wrapped a 76-minute victory, their first in three Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings with Granollers and Zeballos.

“[It’s] very special,” said Koolhof. “It started when the doors [to Centre Court] opened, and one and half hours later to hold this [trophy] is very, very special.”

“I don’t know what to say," said Skpuski. "Growing up watching this amazing championships, starting off a young boy at Palmerston Tennis Club in Liverpool. Going out there with my dad, and then obviously growing up with my brother (Ken Skupski) who has been very influential in my career.

“This feeling at the moment doesn’t get better. Me and Wesley came together 18 months ago, and this year this was one of our goals. To win a Grand Slam. Now we’ve done it, it feels very special.”

It's the Wimbledon final we've all been anticipating — even the players themselves, as Carlos Alcaraz admitted earlier this fortnight. The meeting between World No. 1 Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a calendar-year Grand Slam, was never really in doubt, such was their respective dominance in advancing to the title round.

Both men have lost just two sets in six wins at The Championships, and both played their very best tennis on Friday in a pair of straight-sets semi-final victories — Djokovic against Jannik Sinner and then Alcaraz against Daniil Medvedev.

It sets up an "ultimate showdown", as Djokovic called it, that promises to be monumental in both its quality and its significance. In addition to deciding who will lift the Wimbledon title — Djokovic is bidding for his fifth straight and eighth overall, while Alcaraz will contest his first final on Centre Court — the matchup will determine who leaves London atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

It won't be Alcaraz's first rodeo in that respect: The No. 1 spot was also on the line when he beat Casper Ruud in his first major final at last year's US Open. But a win against Djokovic, owner of a record 23 Grand Slam mens' singles titles, might be even more significant.

"It gives you extra motivation. I think it's more special to play a final against a legend from our sport," Alcaraz said of the matchup. "If I win, it could be amazing for me. Not only to win a Wimbledon title but to do it against Novak would be super special."

Daniil Medvedev was not quite sure how to feel after his best Wimbledon run ended with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz on Friday. Though he fell two wins short of his second Grand Slam title, the World No. 3 advanced beyond the fourth round for the first time at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, meaning he has now reached at least the quarter-finals at all four majors.

"If one would ask me [before the tournament], 'Are you happy with the semi-final?' I'm like yes and no," he said in his post-match press conference. "For sure if I'm in the semi-finals, I want to win it. I want to play against Novak on Sunday. I want to try to hold the trophy.

"But it's my best Wimbledon so far. Normally on grass I didn't feel amazing. These two weeks I felt great. I'm trying usually after the losses to find the positives. I was in the four best players of the tournament, together with amazing players: Jannik [Sinner], Novak [Djokovic], and Carlos."

[ATP APP]

Medvedev felt he put in a respectable showing against Alcaraz. Unfortunately for him, it was not enough to seriously trouble the top player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

"He's a very strong player," Medvedev said of his opponent. "I would say in general to compare like the Big 3, they're amazing, they win so many Grand Slams, they win so many matches. He's kind of like them. He's still 20. Already has one Grand Slam. Playing great. Been No. 1 for many, many weeks.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will meet Sunday in an epic Centre Court clash at Wimbledon to decide the 2023 champion at the grass-court major. Both will be competing with double motivation at the All England Club, with the pair’s third Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting doubling up as a winner-takes-all battle for World No. 1.

It will be another exciting chapter in a yo-yo year at the top of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. The No. 1 position has changed hands between Alcaraz and Djokovic six times already in 2023, the most in a season since 2018 (seven), with the Spaniard most recently reclaiming top spot after lifting his first grass-court ATP Tour title at The Queen’s Club just under three weeks ago.

Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings

Alcaraz currently leads Djokovic by 80 points in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. It will be the second time he has contested a major final knowing victory would also guarantee him World No. 1. He defeated Casper Ruud in the 2022 US Open championship match last September to rise to the top of the tennis mountain for the first time.

Should he triumph for a fifth consecutive year at Wimbledon, Djokovic will on Monday begin his record-extending 390th week atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Alcaraz is this week spending his 28th week at World No. 1. That tally places him 16th on the all-time list, ahead of ATP greats including Mats Wilander, Andy Roddick and Boris Becker.

Novak Djokovic punched his ticket to his 35th major final Friday when he cruised past Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals. Despite holding a record 23 major titles, the Serbian is motivated to once again add to his trophy collection Sunday when he meets World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in a match that will decide who tops the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday.

“Ambition is always the highest for me: always to win the title. It's not changing regardless of the place in history books,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “Maybe some people think that it would be a huge relief for me winning Roland Garros, being the only men's tennis player with 23 slams. It's not.”

Riding a 34-match winning streak at The All England Club, Djokovic is bidding to tie Roger Federer's record eight Wimbledon crowns as well as joining the Swiss great and Bjorn Borg as the only players to win five consecutive men's singles titles at the grass-court major. Djokovic stated that despite his experience playing on the final day of the tournament, he will still feel the weight of playing a high-stakes match.

“Pressure is there, it's still very high,” Djokovic said. “I still feel goosebumps and butterflies and nerves coming into every single match. So I'm going to be coming into Sunday's final like it's my first. I don't want to approach the final in any more relaxed way than I have in previous ones, meaning the intention needs to be clear. Goal and approach will be as serious and professional as it has always been.”

[ATP APP]

Carlos Alcaraz became the fourth youngest Wimbledon men's singles finalist in the Open Era (since 1968) on Friday when he defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 to set a title clash against Novak Djokovic that will determine which player is No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday.

Competing under the roof on Centre Court, the 20-year-old Spaniard showcased his deft touch and devastating power to become the third Spanish man to reach the title match at SW19, joining 1966 champion Manuel Santana and two-time titlist Rafael Nadal.

"It was a dream for me, playing a semi-final here, and now playing a final here at Wimbledon, I can’t believe it,” Alcaraz said. “I am going to enjoy this amazing moment.

“It was really, really difficult to close the match. I had to be really, really focused. He fought until the last ball. He is an amazing fighter. I had to show my best in that tough moment and play aggressive. Be myself all the time and I think that was the key to close out the match.”

[ATP APP]

Despite falling short of reaching his maiden Wimbledon final, Jannik Sinner is pleased to have earned more big-match Grand Slam experience. The Italian dropped just two sets en route to his first major semi-final before seven-time champion Novak Djokovic ended his run on Friday.

“I'm trying to play in these situations more often,” Sinner said. “I knew before the match already that it's a tough match today, but that's why I practise for. I felt like I was ready. I went with the right mentality on the court. I had a belief to win this match.

“I am not afraid to play these kinds of matches. The first semi-final is never easy to play. I felt like my level was good. In the pressure points, I messed it up a little bit. But it's trying to take out the positives and looking forward.”

The 21-year-old, who became just the third Italian man to reach the last four at Wimbledon, also lost against Djokovic at The Championships last year. He fell in five sets a year ago, but feels his match against the Serbian was closer on Friday despite his straight sets defeat.

“Regardless of the score, I felt like I was more close this year than last year,” Sinner said. “That's what I felt. I felt the level was better. I think it's something positive from my point of view.

A master at work on Centre Court, Novak Djokovic dismissed the big-hitting threat of Jannik Sinner on Friday to reach his fifth consecutive Wimbledon championship match.

Djokovic delivered a typically classy all-around semi-final performance to prevail 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) against the Italian and notch his 34th straight match win at the grass-court major. His clean, deep returning was a constant menace to the Sinner serve and Djokovic was rock-solid under pressure as he saved all six break points he faced in his two-hour, 46-minute triumph.

“In the semi-finals, it was always going to be a very tense, very close match,” said Djokovic in his on-court interview. “Three very close sets, I think the scoreline maybe doesn’t give the reality of what was happening on the court. It was super close.

“The third set could have gone his way. He had 5-4, 15/40 and a couple of second serves. He missed a few shots and allowed me to get into the tie-break. It was just a lot of pressure in the third, especially. I had chances early on, but he proved why he is one of the leaders of the next generation and one of the best players in the world that we have, no doubt. It’s great to be part of this new generation. I love it.”

3️⃣5️⃣ Grand Slam finals!@DjokerNole gets past Sinner in straight sets to reach his 5️⃣th consecutive Wimbledon final! pic.twitter.com/XxYEs6Vaht

American Ben Shelton went from claiming the NCAA Singles Championship to being a Top 40 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in just 10 months. Is Ethan Quinn next?

The 19-year-old Quinn, who played for the University of Georgia, held his nerve to save four championship points at the 2023 NCAA Singles Championship in May and turned professional one month later. This week, Quinn is in action at the ATP Challenger Tour 75 event in Chicago, Illinois, where he will face Chinese teen Shang Juncheng in the quarter-finals Friday.

Playing in just his sixth Challenger tournament, Quinn will continue to see opportunities at that level, thanks to the ATP/ITA Accelerator Programme. He is just getting his career started following a memorable 16 months in Athens, Georgia.

“There's nothing like college tennis. There's so much energy, and there's so much thrill,” Quinn told ATPTour.com recently at the NCAA championships in Lake Nona, Florida. “Every single point, there's something happening. Just that energy amongst the crowd, and the animosity as well. It's pretty special. In juniors, you don't really hear many people chirping at you. And in college tennis, really anything goes. You have to kind of build on that and play through the struggles and whatever people may be saying, positive or negative.”

[ATP APP]

Kei Nishikori produced a high level Thursday to reach the quarter-finals at the Chicago Men's Challenger. The Japanese star absorbed Tunisia’s Skander Mansouri hefty serve and struck the ball cleanly en route to a 7-6(1), 6-4 second-round victory at the ATP Challenger Tour 75 event.

Despite having six break points in the first set, four of which came in the seventh game, the 33-year-old Nishikori was forced to a tie-break. The 12-time tour-level titlist stayed steady from the baseline and capitalised on any look on return, capturing 70 per cent of points behind Mansouri’s second delivery throughout the one-hour. 42-minute contest.

Rain forced the 27-year-old Mansouri to play his first-round match in the morning, when he defeated Australian James McCabe 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, before clashing against Nishikori.

[ATP APP]

The former World No. 4 Nishikori underwent arthroscopic left hip surgery last year and returned to action last month at the ATP Challenger event in Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico. Despite playing his first tournament since the BNP Paribas Open in October 2021, Nishikori dropped just one set all week en route to the title. He will return to ATP Tour action later this month in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

Six years since their debut Wimbledon campaign together, Lyudmyla Kichenok and Mate Pavic completed a dream reunion — instigated by their physio — Thursday at SW19. The seventh seeds completed a tense 6-4, 6-7(9), 6-3 win against Joran Vliegen and Xu Yifan to lift the mixed doubles trophy at the grass-court major.

WTA star Kichenok and 35-time tour-level titlist Pavic let slip a championship point in the second-set tie-break before Vliegen and Xu forced a deciding set on Centre Court. The seventh seeds did not dwell on that disappointment, however, as they earned a decisive break in the eighth game of the third set en route to a two-hour, seven-minute win.

“It’s an incredible feeling, always, at Wimbledon,” said Pavic. “I played three finals here, I lifted a trophy two years ago. [This was the] first time in the mixed final, so it’s always incredible to play here. It’s always a special story with Wimbledon. I enjoyed it for these two weeks.

“Of course I want to thank Lyudmyla for playing with me. We have the same physio. He’s Croatian. [Lyudmyla and I] played in 2017 together for the first time [at Wimbledon]. After that we never played, and through him this year we got together to play Wimbledon.”

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Only three men have pushed Novak Djokovic to a fifth set during the Serbian's 33-match Wimbledon win streak: Rafael Nadal in the 2018 semi-finals, Roger Federer in the epic 2019 final and... Jannik Sinner in last year's quarters.

While Djokovic never trailed in the set score on those occasions against his Big 3 rivals, he found himself two-sets-to-love down against Sinner last year on Centre Court before storming back for a five-set win. Can the Italian change the outcome on Friday if he finds himself in a similar position this year on the London lawns?

"First of all, you have to go up two sets to love," he joked after beating Roman Safiullin to reach his first major semi-final.

"It's going to be a completely different match than last year. He knows me better, as I know him better also. It's going to be also a little bit tactical. In the other way, it is also a little bit mental. If you play against Novak, it's always tough to play here, especially in Grand Slams."

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Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev face off for the second time at Wimbledon in Friday’s semi-finals. Few expect a similar outcome to the pair’s second-round clash from three years ago.

Medvedev breezed past a then-18-year-old Alcaraz for the loss of just seven games at SW19 in 2021, in the Spaniard’s first professional tournament on grass. Within 15 months of that heavy loss, Alcaraz had become the youngest No. 1 in the history of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after his rapid development into one of the most exciting players on Tour.

“When he was 17, which was actually not long ago, he was much less mature and younger, which is normal,” said Medvedev on Wednesday when asked about his early memories of Alcaraz’s time on Tour. “He was missing [a lot of balls]. Everyone saw that he's amazing, but everyone was wondering if he was going to find the way to miss less while producing the same power. And he did, quite fast. That's what's pretty amazing.”

THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS ? ?⁰⁰Carlitos glides into his first Grand Slam Semi-Final on grass ?

D. Rune 7-6, 6-4, 6-4⁰⁰@wimbledon | #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/4eoMcgBhLe

Medvedev would know a thing or two about not missing. The 27-year-old is renowned as one of the most consistent ballstrikers on Tour, with his ability to retrieve ball after ball from a deep position key to his own rise to World No. 1 in 2022. On Friday, his baseline wizardry, combined with his powerful serve, will be key for the third seed’s chances of reaching his fifth major championship match.

Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski held their nerve to book a championship-match spot on Thursday at Wimbledon, where the top-seeded duo edged Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden in a tense semi-final.

The top seeds prevailed 7-5, 6-4 on No. 1 Court after claiming a decisive break at the tailend of each set against their sixth-seeded opponents. They converted both break point chances they had —one in the 11th game of the opening set and the other in the ninth game of the second set — to reach their second major final as a team.

Koolhof and Skupski have won eight ATP Tour titles together since pairing at the start of 2022, but until this fortnight the closest they had come to a Grand Slam title was a final appearance at last season’s US Open. The pair has dropped just one set across their five matches this year at SW19, where Skupski is attempting to become the first Briton to lift the men’s doubles trophy since Jonathan Marray triumphed alongside Frederik Nielsen in 2012.

[BREAK POINT]

Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos also delivered a clinical semi-final display to advance to the final. The 15th seeds converted all three break points they earned in their 6-4, 6-3 victory against Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.

The battle for No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings is heating up ahead of the Wimbledon semi-finals. Both Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have a chance to leave London in top spot.

Alcaraz currently leads Djokovic by 80 points in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. If both players lose in the last four of The Championships, the 20-year-old will remain No. 1.

Otherwise, whoever earns the better result at the grass-court major will earn World No. 1. Alcaraz and Djokovic could play a winner-takes-all championship blockbuster for the trophy and World No. 1.

Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings (as of 12 July)

Daniil Medvedev began the week with a chance to return to World No. 1 by the end of the fortnight, but needed early losses from Alcaraz and Djokovic. Since that did not happen, the 27-year-old is guaranteed to leave SW19 as World No. 3.

“Because of Tomas, I started to play tennis.”

Jakub Mensik grew up watching Tomas Berdych light up the ATP Tour. The former World No. 4 would often practise in Mensik’s hometown, Prostejov, Czech Republic, where the 17-year-old had the chance to first meet Berdych in 2011.

“I was five and I was one of the hundreds of kids who played with him, one point in Prostejov,” Mensik told ATPTour.com. “It was kids day [at a Challenger event], and Tomas Berdych and Ivan Lendl came to be there with the kids and enjoy the time. 12 years ago, I was just a little kid watching him and watching his matches. I met him and took a photo with him. At that time, he didn't know who I was, but now it's a completely different situation.”

It is a ‘different situation’ now because Mensik is a fast-rising star on the ATP Challenger Tour, trying to follow in the footsteps of Berdych. In May, the teen won his first Challenger title on the clay courts of Prague. A month later, while competing at his home tournament in Prostejov, Mensik and Berdych played an exhibition match on kids day at the UniCredit Czech Open, the same event where they posed for a picture in 2011. 

“[Tomas] has not played for four years but in Prostejov, he's the player of the club. He would practise there and played Challengers there, like the Czech Open,” Mensik said. “It was really fun, I really enjoyed it. Because of Tomas, I started to play tennis. Now I had the opportunity to play with him.”

Sixth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden rallied from a set down Wednesday to book their ticket to the Wimbledon semi-finals.

The Indian-Australian duo survived Dutchmen Tallon Griekspoor and Bart Stevens 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-2 in the quarter-finals after one hour, 54 minutes. Bopanna and Ebden won 63 per cent of points behind their second serve, compared to their opponents' 39 per cent.

Bopanna and Ebden, who have claimed titles in Doha and Indian Wells this year, will next clash against top seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski after the Dutch-British duo defeated Ariel Behar and Adam Pavlasek 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the last eight. Koolhof and Skupski won 82 per cent of their first-serve points to advance.

[ATP APP]

The 10th seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz downed 13th seeds Jamie Murray and Michael Venus 6-4, 6-3. The German pair will face 15th seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the semi-finals after the Spanish-Argentine team ousted Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow 6-4, 7-5.

Novak Djokovic is a force to be reckoned with at Wimbledon, a point multiple stars of Netflix’s Break Point made in the hit tennis documentary series.

“He’s played in I have no idea how many Slam finals, probably like 30, 40,” Nick Kyrgios said. “I’m a kid from Canberra. I’m not supposed to be here. But I’m here.”

Today, Djokovic is a 23-time major winner who has reached 34 finals at Grand Slam tournaments. In last year’s Wimbledon final, the Serbian defeated Kyrgios in four sets.

“He’s so mentally in tune with everything,” Kyrgios said.

Watch Episode 7 Trailer:

Persistent rain was not enough to stop Kei Nishikori Wednesday on the ATP Challenger Tour.

The former World No.4 ousted sixth seed Alexis Galarneau 7-6(3), 6-1 in the first round of the Chicago Men's Challenger, where rain forced the event to move indoors on Wednesday. Nishikori won 47 per cent of his return points and raced to a 5-0 lead in the second set, eventually converting his third match point to advance after one hour, 24 minutes.

World No. 215 Galarneau is the highest-ranked player Nishikori has beat during his 2023 comeback. The Japanese star will next face Skander Mansouri or James McCabe in the second round.

Back to work ?@keinishikori gearing up for this week’s event in Chicago!#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/ueBWJG4SYP

The 33-year-old Nishikori, who underwent arthroscopic left hip surgery last year, returned to action last month at the ATP Challenger event in Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico. Despite playing his first tournament since the BNP Paribas Open in October 2021, the 12-time tour-level titlist dropped just one set all week en route to the title. Nishikori also played last week's Cranbrook Tennis Classic in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where he fell to American Denis Kudla in the second round.

Christopher Eubanks kept everything in perspective on Monday despite his dream Wimbledon run coming to an end in the quarter-finals against third seed Daniil Medvedev.

“I’m more than okay with my effort today, how I gave it everything I had. It just didn't go my way. That's tennis. There's only one winner at every single tournament. You have to kind of take the good with the bad, take the positive lessons, learn how you can move [forward with] them,” Eubanks said.

“I think this week, these two or three weeks have been filled with positives. I didn't win today. I'm disappointed about it. It's unfortunate for me. But I think I showed a lot of positive signs that I can take moving forward, so I'm okay with that.”

The American’s story attracted attention throughout the world. Four months ago he had not yet broken into the world’s Top 100 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Suddenly he was three wins from claiming a major title. The weight of the moment hit him before facing Medvedev.

“It’s been like such a whirlwind of emotions and trying my best to kind of block everything out and just focus on the match,” Eubanks said. “But I think this morning it did kind of set in a little bit after I woke up, just realising that, ‘Man, I'm getting ready to play a Grand Slam quarter-final today.’ That's really, really cool.”