10/07/2025

SPORTS THURSDAY | JULY 10, 2025

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Alcaraz enters brutality mode Spanish defending champion blazes past Norrie into Wimbledon semis C ARLOS ALCARAZ had warned that facing Cameron Norrie could be a nightmare. For a fleeting moment yesterday, it looked like the defending and unorthodox, did his best to resist. He even raised his arms in mock celebration after holding serve late in the third set. But the outcome was never in doubt. Alcaraz, now on a 23-match winning streak, was simply too good. “What I have been doing so far has worked so we will try to switch off together.” Former semifinalist Norrie was the second British player Alcaraz has faced during this year’s tournament having seen off qualifier Oliver Tarvet in the second round.

Line tech fails again as Fritz downs Khachanov line technology system suffered another embarrassing malfunction during Taylor Fritz’s quarterfinal win over Karen Khachanov yesterday. Swedish umpire Louise Azemar Engzell had to stop a point in the opening game of the fourth set on Court One when “fault” was incorrectly called after a Fritz forehand landed well inside the baseline. The call of “fault”, rather than “out”, and positioning of the ball suggested the system was still tracking Fritz’s serve as opposed to a rally and the point had to be replayed. Tournament organisers claimed the system had failed to reset because the ball from Fritz’s first serve was still being retrieved when he started lining up his second. “The player’s service motion began while the BBG (ball boy or girl) was still crossing the net and therefore the system didn’t recognise the start of the point, an All England Club statement said. “As such the chair umpire instructed the point be replayed.” Wimbledon chiefs said earlier this week that they were confident of avoiding further issues with the technology after a major error in Sonay Kartal’s fourth-round defeat to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the women’s draw. On that occasion, the new system failed to call out when a shot by Kartal landed well behind the baseline. The controversy did not stop Fritz reaching his first Wimbledon semifinal as the American won 6-3, 6 4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4). Fritz defended the line system despite the latest technological glitch. “It happens sometimes. In that situation I think I lost the point anyway, but it helped me because I got a first serve out of it,” he said. “There’s going to be some issues here and there. To be honest, I still think it’s much better to just have the electronic line calling calling the lines as opposed to the umpires. “I said it earlier in the week, I do like not having to think about challenging calls in the middle of points. I do like that we don’t have to argue about calls and all this stuff. “The ball gets called, and we know, and that’s it. I think it’s a better system.” Khachanov was less happy with the system, criticising the way it has been used this year. “Look, to be honest, I’m more for line umpires.” – AFP WIMBLEDON’S under-fire

Wimbledon champion might be in for a fright. The Spaniard stumbled early, trailing 0-40 in his opening service game on Centre Court. Any chance of an upset, however, was swiftly dashed as Alcaraz roared to a commanding 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 quarterfinal victory – one that should send a shudder down the spine of anyone hoping to dethrone him. With hundreds of empty seats at the start – fans still trickling back after

Tarvet stretched him far more than left-hander Norrie, but that was during a first week in which the five-times Grand Slam champion was working through the gears. Any hope Norrie had of becoming only the third British player to knock out the defending Wimbledon men’s champion were soon extinguished by the Spanish force of nature. Having failed to convert four break points in the second game, Norrie gifted away his serve with double-fault and two games later his tentative volley allowed Alcaraz to wind up a ferocious dipping forehand that smacked the baseline. Alcaraz had blown a hot and cold in his previous matches, but it is now the business end of the tournament and the rest of the match became a procession as he wrapped up his 34th win from 37 matches he has played on grass. “To be able to play another semifinal here at Wimbledon is really special,” Alcaraz said. “I want to go as far as I can and I am really happy with the level I played today against a really difficult player like Cam.” – The Independent

Alcaraz’s eighth Grand Slam semifinal will be against American Taylor Fritz but before he continues his quest for a third successive Wimbledon title he has two days off owing to the All England Club schedule. He would probably prefer to get straight back on court, such is the momentum he is building. When asked how he would use the time, one wag in the crowd suggested he

Aryna Sabalenka’s drawn-out quarterfinal – Alcaraz wasted no time asserting his dominance. By the time the crowd returned to rally behind Britain’s last remaining singles hope, the second seed had blazed

could return to the Ibiza, the Balearic party island where he let his hair down after his second successive French Open title last month. A beaming Alcaraz said something more sedate would suffice. “I might try to go to the city centre if I have time. I want to play some golf with my team which will be fun,” he said.

through the first set in 28 minutes, dazzling with his trademark blend of power and flair. Norrie, unseeded

Carlos Alcaraz – REUTERSPIC

Anisimova rocks with nephew Jackson

A YEAR after Amanda Anisimova’s attempt to qualify for Wimbledon ended in failure, the American cradled her young nephew on Court One to celebrate a remarkable turnaround in fortunes as she reached the All England Club semifinals for the first time. Anisimova collapsed flat on her face in sheer relief after she survived an astonishing, and unexpected, fightback from Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to secure a 6-1, 7 6(9) victory and set up a fascinating showdown with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Once a beaming Anisimova had lifted herself off the ground, she scooped up her three-year-old nephew Jackson for a victory lap. By then it was hard to tell who was more excited, Anisimova or Jackson, who could be heard shouting out to his aunt mid-rally on numerous occasions. “It has been an extraordinary year for me with so many highs. I am enjoying every step of the way and, even in times like today I keep reminding myself to enjoy the moment,” said Anisimova, whose only previous appearance in a Grand Slam semifinal was at the French Open six years ago.

around, an emotional Anisimova looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, mouthing to her support group “one more point” as the Russian kept earning set points in the tiebreak. Anisimova, at 23 more than a decade younger than her opponent, saved all five set points against her before sealing victory when Pavlyuchenkova netted a service return on the American’s fourth match point. “It was such a

“My nephew has never seen a match of mine in my life, so it was super special, and to get the win also on top of that is just an incredible experience.” With the American 13th seed leading 6-1, 5-2, Pavlyuchenkova was left wishing she could disappear through a Wimbledon trapdoor as she was bamboozled by a cocktail of blazing backhands, ferocious forehands and nifty footwork. But just when it seemed

that Anisimova had one foot in the last four, the 34-year old Russian’s game suddenly caught fire and she won three games in a row. Pavlyuchenkova saved two match points in the 10th game, including hitting a gutsy dropshot winner that completely caught Anisimova by surprise. With the world No.50 suddenly

battle today. I was up in the second set and she started playing some unreal tennis,” Anisimova, who took an eight-month break from the sport two years ago after complaining of burnout, told the crowd. “I just kept fighting and that super stressful, but I’m just so happy I got it done. I’m happy to be in the semifinal for the first time, it’s super special.” – Reuters was

tiebreak

believing she could turn the m a t c h

Amanda Anisimova. – REUTERSPIC

Sabalenka survives Siegemund’s sorcery for place in final four

ARYNA SABALENKA was dragged into a bygone era yesterday and tormented for almost three hours on Wimbledon’s Centre Court before finally imposing her 21st-century power game to beat mes meric Laura Siegemund for a place in the semifinals. The Belarusian needed all her powers of ball bludgeoning and belief to emerge from a befuddling battle, somehow the victor, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. For much of the spell-binding contest it looked as though the world No. 1 would find no answers to Siegemund’s sorcery as the 37-year old German veteran chipped, chopped and drop-shotted the world’s best player to pieces,

sigh – a soft brushstroke rather than a blunt strike. Serves landed halfway up the box before spinning wide; forehands floated underspun onto the baseline. It may have looked delicate, but it was anything but harmless – as Sabalenka discovered to her mounting despair. “That was a real task,” the Belarusian said. “Honestly, I have no idea how I was able to hold myself. “I needed to be emotionally so prepared and focused. “I’m actually really proud of myself because it was really tough battle.” – Reuters

mean like book the tickets you know, I think we’re about to leave this beautiful city, country, place’. “But wow she played an incredible tournament, an incredible match. “I’m just super happy right now with the win and, oh my god guys, like atmosphere – it’s just another level.” For Siegemund, this was not the performance of a player whose previous Wimbledon record amounted to three first-round exits and a solitary second-round finish. Everything about the German evoked nostalgia. The ball left her racket not with a thud, but a

leaving the top seed’s power game neutered on the turf. Ranked a lowly 104 in the world, Siegemund drew on the game of a gentler age to bring low the mighty Belarusian, casting spells of slice and sleight with vintage flair. But slowly, if not exactly surely, the 10 years younger and seemingly stronger Sabalenka managed to wrestle back the upper hand. She plays American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova next, who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, for a place in Saturday’s final. “I need some time to recover… She pushed me so much and honestly after the first set I was just like looking at my box thinking like, ‘Guys I