Live Commentary: Novak Djokovic vs. Grigor Dimitrov - as it happened

Good afternoon! Top seed and former champion Novak Djokovic will be heading out to Centre Court in the next few minutes to take on Grigor Dimitrov for a place in this year's final.

These two players have faced each other four times before. Djokovic has won three of their previous meetings, including the last two, but they have never faced each other on grass before. Dimitrov's only win game in last year's Madrid Masters when he beat the Serb in three sets.

Prior to this year, Dimitrov had never been beyond the third round at Wimbledon, but his run to the last four has been impressive. While Andy Murray might not have been at his peak during their quarter-final, the Bulgarian played superbly earlier this week to knock out the defending champion in straight sets.

The players have just come out into the court, which is absolutely packed! At the moment, it's bright and sunny so the roof is open, but there is a chance of some showers affecting play later this afternoon, so the players may have to cope with a disruption at some point.

Djokovic hasn't had the easiest route to the last four. He faced a battle against Radek Stepanek in the second round, and needed all five sets to get past Marin Cilic in his last match. He does has a lot more experience than Dimitrov at this stage, and that could prove vital this afternoon.

The players have finished their warm-ups and are about to get underway, with Dimitrov to serve first.

Dimitrov wraps up the opening game relatively comfortably. Djokovic returns his first two serves long, but gets a point back with a strong sliced backhand, but Dimitrov wraps it up with a couple of solid forehands.

Djokovic seems to be in control as he races to a 40-0 lead, but Dimitrov decides to change his racquet, and it seems to help him as he hits a forehand smash at the net. The Bulgarian has a chance to make a similar shot on the next point, but left the ball thinking it would go long, but it clipped the baseline to give the top seed the game.

Dimitrov calmly wraps up another game, using a wide range of shots. A big serve gets him off to a good start before he takes the next two points with forehand and backhand winners before Djokovic fires long.

Dimitrov makes a good start when the world number two hits a long forehand, but Djokovic hits three aces in a row to clinch the game. The Serb is yet to miss a first serve.

BREAK! Dimitrov misses a volley before serving a double fault as Djokovic brings up three break point. The top seed comes inside the baseline to hurry his opponent, forcing the Bulgarian to fire long. That was a messy game from Dimitrov, and it's given the Serb the lead in this first set.

Djokovic quickly consolidates the break with a solid hold. Dimitrov picks up a point early on when Djokovic misses the line with his forehand, but top top seed's serve is too strong, forcing a string of poor returns from the Bulgarian.

Dimitrov serves well to keep himself in contention in the opening set. After Djokovic misses a couple of returns, Dimitrov rushes into the net to hits a superb forehand volley before wrapping the game up with a forehand down the line.

Djokovic's serving masterclass continued as he quickly opens up a 40-15 lead. The Serb then misses his first serve for the first time in the match, but his second delivery is good, allowing him to seal the game when Dimitrov fires the ball into the net.

Djokovic hits his first two aces of the match on his way to securing the game, ensuring that Djokovic will have to try and serve the set out.

Dimitrov loses the first point of the game with a long forehand before a string of missed backhands gives the Serb the set. Djokovic barely appears to have broken sweat yet as he eases to the first set. Dimitrov started well, but didn't look as composed after losing his serve.

Dimitrov seems to have pulled himself together for the start of the second set, hitting a number of powerful serves, including two aces, to cruise to a comfortable hold.

Djokovic starts serving as solidly as he did in the first set, but Dimitrov fights back from 40-15 down to deuce, but he misses his forehand twice in a row to allow Djokovic to hold serve.

BREAK! There's quite a strong wind blowing around Centre Court this afternoon, and it seems to be putting both players off as they make numerous errors as the game heads to deuce, including a double fault from Dimitrov. The Bulgarian hits a solid forehand to bring up advantage, but Djokovic returns well to keep himself in the game. The Bulgarian gets a run of bad luck as he mis-hits a backhand to give Djokovic a break point before hitting the net chord on the next point, sending his backhand long.

Djokovic's dominant serving performance from the first set has certainly not been matched in the second as Dimitrov manages to fight back from 40-15 down to deuce for the second game in a row. The Bulgarian brings up his first break point of the match, but Djokovic is able to save when his opponent loses hit footing behind the baseline, where it is particularly dusty. A Dimitrov backhand errors gives the top seed advantage, and he's able to seal the game when the 11th seed misses a forehand on the next point. Dimitrov is looking much more dangerous now, but Djokovic is doing just enough to keep himself ahead.

Having almost been broken himself the game before, Djokovic has a chance to break his opponent again following a double fault and a backhand error from Dimitrov. However, the Bulgarian manages to save it with an ace, before clinching the game with a well-hit forehand winner. This set has now been going as long as the first!

BREAK! Dimitrov fights hard against the Djokovic serve again as he tries to get the set back on level terms, forcing errors from the top seed with some clever shots at the net. Djokovic hooks his backhand well wide to give the Bulgarian two break points. The Serb pressures his opponent by coming into the net, forcing Dimitrov to slice wide, but Djokovic fires the ball into the net on the next point to get break back.

Dimitrov serves superbly to edge ahead in the second set, with Djokovic missing his first three returns, before the 11th seed wraps the game up when Djokovic hits his backhand long.

BREAK! Dimitrov has really found his stride now as he opens up a 40-15 lead to give himself the chance to go a break up for the first time in the match. Djokovic battles hard to try and save the game, but slices his forehand just wide to leave Dimitrov serving to level the match.

After just over an hour on court, it's all level as Dimitrov opens up a 40-0 before Djokovic saves the first set point with a superb volley. However, the Serb using a challenge to contest a call on the baseline, believing that Dimitrov had hit his forehand long, but the ball was on the line, giving the Bulgarian the set.

Djokovic quickly puts the disappointment of losing the second set behind to claim the opening game in the third. Dimitrov gets a point on the board with a strong return, but otherwise it's plain sailing for the top seed, who finishes the game with an ace.

Dimitrov makes a couple of mistakes with his backhand to allow Djokovic to take the lead in the game, but a smashed forehand followed by a couple of well-placed serves ensure that the Bulgarian holds in his opening service game of the third set.

Djokovic falls behind early on when his slices a volley wide, but an ace gets him back on level terms before Dimitrov mis-hits a forehand, which ends up striking the line judge on the head! Dimitrov slides behind the baseline as he tries to keep himself in the game, but he's unable to recover in time to stop Djokovic hitting a forehand winner past him.

At 30-30, Dimitrov comes into the net to volley, and Djokovic can only return the ball into the net, allowing the Bulgarian to wrap up the game on the next point with an ace.

Djokovic appears to be in control at 40-15, but an attempt at a casual forehand volley ends up in the net to keep Dimitrov in the net, but he makes a stunning backhand volley on the next point to wrap up the game.

Djokovic wins the opening point for the game when Dimitrov fires a forehand wide. However, the top seed makes a string of errors to give the 11th seed the game. Neither player have faced a break point in this third set yet.

Djokovic appears to be in trouble at the start of the game as he hits a forehand into the net before Dimitrov smashes a winner past the world number two. The Serb levels the scores with a couple of big serves, including an ace, but a superb forehand winner from the Bulgarian gives him a chance to break. Djokovic slices a short two-handed backhand onto the sideline to take the game to deuce, before two wide forehands from Dimitrov allow the top seed to hold.

Djokovic takes a 30-15 lead, but a missed forehand followed by a poor forehand allow Dimitrov to edge ahead, resulting in the top seed throwing him racquet into the air in frustration. He gets it back to deuce, but misses a volley attempt while sliding into the net to return a drop shot before returning wide on the next point to allow Dimitrov to keep the set level.

It's a comfortable hold for Djokovic, hitting back-to-back aces to wrap up the game. He's just once game away from a 2-1 lead, but Dimitrov is yet to face a break point in this set.

Dimitrov open with a forehand winner before coming into the net later in the game for a stunning overhead smash. He keeps Djokovic in the game when he hits his forehand into the net on the next point. Both players end up on the ground as they dive for volleys at the net, but it's Dimitrov who comes out on top to seal the game.

Djokovic will get at least a tiebreak from this set as Dimitrov misses a string of forehands while the top seed hits another ace to wrap up an easy hold of serve.

Dimitrov hits his eighth ace of the match on the way to a relatively straight-forward hold to send the set to a tiebreak.

Djokovic 1-0* Dimitrov

Djokovic 1-1* Dimitrov

Djokovic *2-1 Dimitrov

Djokovic *3-1 Dimitrov

Djokovic 4-1* Dimitrov. Djokovic fires his 15th ace of the match past Dimitrov

Djokovic 4-2* Dimitrov

Djokovic *5-2 Dimitrov. The Bulgarian serves a double fault to fall three points behind.

Djokovic *6-2 Dimitrov. The top seed has four set point.

Dimitrov misses a backhand return to give Djokovic the third set, leaving the top seed just a set away from a place in the final.

Dimitrov starts the fourth set with a solid service game, winning two points with aces, while also slicing a superb volley past his opponent.

A couple of loose shots from Djokovic allow Dimitrov to open up a 30-0 lead, but the world number two gets himself back into contention with a well-timed volley close into the net, while a couple of backhand errors from the Bulgarian allow Djokovic to clinch the game.

BREAK! Dimitrov appears to have completely lost his focus as hit makes three double faults in a row to give Djokovic a chance to break. He misses his first serve again while trying to save the first of three break point, but his second lacks power to allow the Serb to make a strong return, forcing a long forehand from the 11th seed on the next shot.

BREAK BACK! At 30-30, Djokovic hits a sloppy forehand to give Dimitrov a chance to get the break straight back, but a big serve from the top seed takes the game to deuce. However, the 11th seed gets a second chance to break back when Djokovic misses his backhand, and his takes it with a sliced volley at the net.

Djokovic brings up two more break point as he looks to regain the advantage in the fourth set, capitalising on a couple of errors from the 11th seed. However, Dimitrov brings up deuce with an ace before hitting a volley past the Serb and sealing the game with another ace. That was a big hold for the 23-year-old.

Djokovic fights back from 30-0 down but slips, allowing Dimitrov to bring up a break point with a backhand volley. The Serb takes the game to deuce with a volley of his own, but gives Dimitrov another chance when he makes just his second double fault of the match. After saving three break points, Djokovic finally gets advantage, and manages to seal the game with a big serve out wide.

After a string of tight games, Dimitrov comfortably holds serve. Djokovic misses a couple of returns before the Bulgarian fires an ace past his opponent. The next couple of games are going to be vital, with Djokovic trying to seal the match and Dimitrov needing this set to stay in the tie.

Djokovic takes a little over a minute to notch up another game, with Dimitrov struggling to return his serves, and the top seed adding another ace, he's up to 15 in this match now.

It's another quick game as Dimitrov wraps up the hold without Djokovic picking up a single point. The 11th seed adds another ace himself, while the world number two smashes to forehand returns long before handing his opponent the game with a backhand error.

Dimitrov battles to take the game to deuce, before using all of his flexibility to make a volley, bringing up set point. Djokovic makes a huge serve though to save it, before bringing up advantage with a smash after the Bulgarian had slipped before sealing the game when the 11th seed misses his return. Djokovic knows that was a huge hold and he shouts as if he's won the match!

Dimitrov doesn't let the disappointment of having a set point saved get to him as he produces a string of superb serves for a comfortable hold. At worst, he'll have a tiebreak to try and keep himself in this match.

Djokovic hits another ace on his way to a hold to love to send the fourth set to a tiebreak.

Djokovic *0-1 Dimitrov

Djokovic *1-1 Dimitrov

Djokovic 1-2* Dimitrov

Djokovic 1-3* Dimitrov

Djokovic *2-3 Dimitrov

Djokovic *2-4 Dimitrov

Djokovic 3-4* Dimitrov

Djokovic 3-5* Dimitrov

Djokovic *3-6 Dimitrov. The 11th seed has three set point!

Djokovic *4-6 Dimitrov. Dimitrov loses his footing again while coming into the net, allowing Djokovic to save the first set point.

Djokovic 5-6* Dimitrov. Dimitrov misses his forehand, but now has a set point on his own serve.

Djokovic 6-6* Dimitrov. Dimitrov can't return a Djokovic volley, allowing the top seed to level the tie-break.

Djokovic *7-6 Dimitrov. A double fault from the Bulgarian gives Djokovic match point on his own serve.

Djokovic *7-7 Dimitrov. However, it's a stunning forehand winner from the 11th seed to keep himself in the match.

Djokovic 8-7* Dimitrov. Dimitrov slips again and this time he shouts in pain, and he'll have a match point to save again.

After a highly entertaining encounter, Djokovic hits a forehand, which hits the net cord and lands to give the top seed the match and a place in Sunday's final.

Dimitrov really was fantastic in that tie-break, and was unlucky to lose his footing along the dusty baseline, costing him a couple of points, but he can be proud of his first Grand Slam semi-final performance.

So next up for Djokovic, it will be either seven-time champion Roger Federer, or Canada's Milos Raonic.

Well that's all from this match, but stick around to read our match report and reaction to the first of the men's semi-finals. Thanks for joining me this afternoon, goodbye.