Nadal fights his way to the semifinals
The ailing 36-year-old Spaniard won a five-set thriller against US professional Taylor Fritz 4: 6, 7: 5, 3: 6, 7: 5, 7: 6 (10: 4) and held the chance of a dream -final against defending champion Novak Djokovic from Serbia.
After triumphing at the Australian Open and French Open, Nadal also has the opportunity to win the Grand Slam, winning all four major tournaments in a year. The 22-time Grand Slam tournament winner now meets the controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios, who reached his first Wimbledon semi-final by beating Cristian Garin from Chile 6: 4, 6: 3, 7: 6 (7: 5).
The match was a constant ups and downs for Nadal. At the end of the first set, the Spaniard gave up five games in a row. In the second round, when the score was 4: 3, he had the physiotherapist come and disappeared into the dressing room for treatment. With a pained face, he clutched his stomach and leaned on his bat.
Nadal didn't look good at all, hardly moved and tried to keep the points as short as possible. But slowly the treatment seemed to work. Fritz seemed insecure, Nadal won the second round with a show of strength and caused his opponent to lose the first set of the tournament.
Nadal remained impaired but also dangerous. In the decisive round he got the break to 4:3 with a fine stop, Fritz didn't give up. In the tie-break, Nadal had the better nerves and was allowed to celebrate after more than four hours. Another difficult task awaits against Kyrgios.
Kyrgios for the first time in the Wimbledon semifinals
Controversial Australian tennis pro Nick Kyrgios has reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the first time in his career. The 27-year-old defeated Cristian Garin from Chile, who was also unseeded, 6: 4, 6: 3, 7: 6 (7: 5) and showed a largely concentrated performance.
After 2:11 hours he converted his first match point through a backhand mistake by his opponent. "I didn't think I'd make it to a Grand Slam semi-final. I thought my ship had already left, »said Kyrgios. He is now dealing with the winner of the match between the 22-time Grand Slam tournament winner Rafael Nadal from Spain and the American Taylor Fritz.
His third-round duel won with world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas from Greece caused a stir because both players had been warned for offenses and blamed each other afterwards. Kyrgios has been criticized for insulting the referees, but is also very popular with large sections of the audience.
3rd movement
Both players get through their service games, in the tie-break Kyrgios has the upper hand with 7: 5 and thus ends the match in three sets.
2nd sentence
Kyrgios breaks early, and in the fifth game the Australian can also fend off two breakballs. After that, the 27-year-old brings his lead to the finish and now leads by two sets. It would be the first semi-final for him.
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Cold start for Kyrgios. The Australian gives away the first game with zero. In the sixth game, the Australian can correct the deficit. And when the score was 5: 4, he managed the second break - the first set belonged to Kyrgios.
Before the game
In the quarter-finals, the two unseeded professionals Nick Kyrgios from Australia and Cristian Garin from Chile meet on Court 1. The two have never played against each other in their careers.
5th set
In the seventh game, Nadal manages the first break. But Fritz manages the re-break immediately. Now the tie-break between Nadal and Fritz has to decide. The first five points go straight to the Spaniard. In the end, Nadal wins the tie-break with 10:4.
4th movement
Nadal is back – he manages the important break right in the first game. But Fritz responds immediately with the re-break. But Nadal can also break the opponent in the next service game. In the eighth game, Fritz can equalize again. But Nadal stays cool and gets the break again. Then he confidently serves the game home.
3rd movement
In the third game, Nadal conceded the break. With a double fault, the world number 4 gives his opponent the game. The Spaniard can't really pull through with his own service, while rallies seem less problematic. But Fritz can again benefit from Nadal's weakness at 5: 3 and thus secure the third set. In short: things are looking bad for the Spaniard. But of course you can never completely write off the bull from Manacor, as the past has often shown.
2nd sentence
Nadal reacts to the loss of the set like a champion and can take the first service game from Fritz right away. But in the fourth game he gives the break back with simple mistakes - including two double mistakes. In the sixth game, Nadal – who is probably suffering from an abdominal muscle strain – can at least fend off a breakball and serve through.
After that, the visibly battered Nadal has to take a medical timeout. After that, Nadal seems to be more up to speed and can even break the opponent at 6: 5 - the set equalization is perfect.
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Nadal gets the break in the first game. At a score of 3: 2 from the Spaniard's point of view, Fritz gambled away the first three breakballs, but the American was able to use the fourth. The next service game of the 22-time Grand Slam winner also fails, with a double fault Nadal gives the game to the opponent - Fritz then gets the starting set confidently.
Before the game
The 22-time Grand Slam tournament winner Rafael Nadal wants to reach the semi-finals of the grass classic in Wimbledon. The 36-year-old Spaniard meets Taylor Fritz from the USA, who has been playing well in this tournament so far. The game will take place on Center Court.
Former winner Halep without dropping a set in the semifinals
Former winner Simona Halep from Romania easily reached the semi-finals. The 30-year-old confirmed her position as one of the favorites on Wednesday with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Amanda Anisimova of the USA in just 63 minutes. Halep took the serve from her opponent four times and only got lost shortly before the end. After losing two games, she angrily hit her thigh – and found her way back to her former sovereignty. Halep won the tournament when she last competed in 2019 and has not dropped a set in five games this year.
Rybakina further
In the round of the top four, Halep meets Rybakina, who fought back strongly in 4: 6, 6: 2, 6: 3 against unseeded Ajla Tomljanovic from Australia. Rybakina (23), seeded number 17, is in a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time in her career. The other semi-final is played by German tennis player Tatjana Maria against world number two Ons Jabeur from Tunisia.
"Are not here in the future": tennis duo scolds video evidence
Out of anger about the computer-aided video evidence, the top seeded tennis doubles Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury temporarily refused to continue the game in their quarter-final victory in Wimbledon. The duo of the USA and Great Britain thought a shot by opponents Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France late in the second set was out. However, the hawk-eye showed that the ball had still touched the line.
Ram and Salisbury then had a long discussion with the chair umpire. "We turn off the machine. We're not in the future here," Ram said. Only after the chief referee appeared on the pitch did the situation slowly calm down. Ram and Salisbury then lost the set in a tie-break, but won the game 6:3, 6:7 (1:7), 6:1, 3:6, 6:4 and reached the semi-finals.