Day 12 at The Championships hosts the gentlemen’s singles semifinals, as well as the semifinals in both ladies’ and mixed doubles.
We are just one match away from a highly-anticipated rematch of last year’s epic gentlemen’s singles final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. However, just as he did last summer at the US Open, Daniil Medvedev is eager to spoil the party, and defeat Alcaraz in another Major semifinal. Plus, Djokovic needs to overcome 22-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who owns a victory over Novak.
Daniil Medvedev earlier this week (twitter.com/wimbledon)
Daniil Medvedev (5) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (3) – 1:30pm on Centre Court
Alcaraz leads their head-to-head 4-2, with three of those victories coming on hard courts, Medvedev’s preferred surface. They’ve twice before played at this tournament, and they split those meetings. Medvedev won in straights three years ago in the second round, while Alcaraz won in straights last year in this same round. And since Daniil defeated Carlitos in four sets last September in New York, Alcaraz has beaten him twice in straights, including a few months ago in the Indian Wells final.
A year after last year’s one-sided semifinal between these same two players, Medvedev appears much more comfortable on grass, and willing to be more aggressive and vary his return position against Alcaraz. Many of Carlitos’ victories over Daniil have been a result of Medvedev returning serve from way back in the court, allowing Alcaraz to come forward and dictate play, as well as use his beloved drop shot. But Daniil has recently moved forward and played more offensively, not only against Carlitos, but also against Jannik Sinner, as we saw in the last round.
And Alcaraz has appeared quite vulnerable throughout this fortnight, dropping at least one set in each of his last three matches, all of which featured stints of sloppy play from the defending champion. Yet as he usually does, Carlitos has created some magic in big moments, including during a come-from-behind victory over Frances Tiafoe in five sets. And as improved as Medvedev is on grass, this surface still favors the power and variety of Alcaraz. Carlitos is the favorite to prevail in what should be a contest full of dynamic rallies.
Lorenzo Musetti after his quarterfinal victory on Wednesday (twitter.com/wimbledon)
Lorenzo Musetti (25) vs. Novak Djokovic (2) – Second on Centre Court
Musetti’s victory over Djokovic came a year ago on clay in Monte Carlo, in a three-hour three-setter. The Italian also had the all-time great on the ropes during their first clash at the 2021 French Open, when Lorenzo won the first two sets in tiebreaks, before wilting and losing the next three 6-1, 6-0, 4-0, as a depleted Musetti would retire and be unable to even finish the match.
Their most recent encounter was also a Roland Garros five-setter. Just a month ago in Paris, Djokovic again came from behind to defeat Musetti in five, with the last two sets featuring lopsided scores of 6-3 and 6-0. Overall Novak has claimed five of their six matches.
Lorenzo’s lasting power on Friday will not be aided by a draining five-set win on Wednesday against Taylor Fritz. By contrast, Djokovic did not play at all on Wednesday, as Alex de Minaur withdrew from their quarterfinal due to injury. Normally such an interruption to a player’s schedule late in a big event can negatively impact their rhythm. But Novak is now a 49-time Major semifinalist, so there’s not much he’s unprepared for at this stage of his illustrious career. And his recently surgically-repaired knee likely didn’t mind the extra rest and recovery time.
And Novak’s record across the past decade in Major semifinals is mind-boggling: since the 2015 Australian Open, he is 22-2. At Wimbledon specifically, Djokovic hasn’t lost a semifinal since 2012, having won his last eight. Against an opponent making his Major semifinal debut, Novak is a considerable favorite, even if his knee is still far from 100%.
Other Notable Matches on Friday:
Su-wei Hsieh and Elise Mertens (1) vs. Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend (4) – Su-wei and Mertens crushed Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in the last round, as each looks to become a ladies’ doubles finalist in all four of their latest appearances at The Championships. Hsieh will also play in the mixed doubles semifinals later in the day. Siniakova is an eight-time Major champion in women’s doubles, while Townsend is a two-time finalist.
Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk (7) vs. Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe (2) – Dolehide was a surprising finalist in singles at last fall’s WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara, but is 0-5 in women’s doubles semifinals at Majors. Krawczyk is a four-time Major champ in mixed doubles, with two of those wins coming at Wimbledon. Dabrowski and Routliffe are the reigning US Open champions, and like Hsieh, Erin is also in the mixed doubles semis.
Friday’s full Order of Play is here.
