Reigning Wimbledon men's singles champion Carlos Alcaraz produced a gritty comeback to reach the semi-finals of the men's singles with victory over the USA's Tommy Paul.
The 21-year-old Spaniard found himself a set and a break down to the Queen's Club winner at one stage, but Paul soon began to rue a succession of unforced errors as Alcaraz came roaring back.
The defending Wimbledon and French Open holder prevailed 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-2 to progress to back-to-back SWI9 semi-finals, having already made the last four of Roland-Garros in successive years.
In the history of the Open Era, only Rafael Nadal has made successive French Open and Wimbledon semis at a younger age than Alcaraz in the men's game, and a tantalising reunion now awaits the champion.
A 6ft 6in obstacle in the form of Daniil Medvedev - whom Alcaraz beat in straight sets in the 2023 Wimbledon semi-finals - awaits courtesy of the Russian's enthralling triumph over world number one Jannik Sinner.
The most in-form player on the 2024 Tour heading into Wimbledon, Sinner appeared to be struggling with fatigue in Tuesday's gripping five-setter, which Medvedev triumphed in 6-7[7] 6-4 7-6[4] 2-6 6-3.
The Russian often struggled on serve with a staggering 11 double faults, while also hitting fewer winners and more unforced errors than Sinner, but there was no stopping Medvedev ending his horrendous hoodoo against the Australian Open winner.
Medevedev wins a marathon 😅@DaniilMedwed takes down world No.1 Jannik Sinner 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3 in exactly four hours to reach the SF#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/djoXtnDmJl
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2024
Including this year's showpiece Down Under, Medvedev had suffered five straight defeats to Sinner, whom he had coincidentally prevailed against in each of their first six contests on the ATP Tour.
As well as banishing his Sinner demons, Medvedev played his part in the 36th five-set match at Wimbledon, setting a new record for Grand Slam tournaments in the Open Era.
Donna Vekic rains on Lulu Sun's parade
In the first two women's quarter-finals, the historic run of New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun - who took out Emma Raducanu on Sunday - was brought to an end by Donna Vekic, also breaking new ground at the Championships.
The 28-year-old had never reached a major final before Wimbledon - only getting as far as the last eight at the 2019 US and 2023 Australian Opens - but she earned a slice of personal history with a 5-7 6-4 6-1 triumph.
Vekic will meet another 28-year-old first-time Wimbledon semi-finalist next up in the shape of Jasmine Paolini, whose exceptional 2024 season continued with a two-set crushing of Emma Navarro.
Navarro had sent Coco Gauff packing to earn a date with the French Open runner-up, but Paolini dropped just three games in an emphatic 6-2 6-1 triumph, making her the first Italian woman to reach the SW19 semis.
Ben Knapton
