Defending champion Novak Djokovic overcame a two sets to love deficit to beat Jannik Sinner on Tuesday and advance to his 11th Wimbledon semifinal. After winning 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, Djokovic advances to Sunday’s final, where he will play either British player Cameron Norrie or Belgian player David Goffin.
The Serb had come back from two sets to love at the Slams seven times in his career. Djokovic hopes to tie Pete Sampras’ record of seven Wimbledon victories and move one victory closer to Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight. When he surged into a 4-1 lead in the first game and had a break point for 5-1 against the 20-year-old Italian, he seemed to be in for a routine afternoon.
Sinner, the 10th seed, came back to win the point and edge ahead 6-5, giving him the chance to serve for the set. Djokovic avoided a set point, but an Italian serve return that was netted won the Italian the set. Sinner, who was unrelentingly launching winners from every angle of the court, once more startled the top seed with breaks in the third and seventh games on his way to a two-set advantage.
But Djokovic is no stranger to Grand Slam difficulties; just last year at the French Open, he twice overcame deficits of two sets to love. The second of those incredible comebacks happened in the championship match against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Djokovic was able to close the gap on his quarterfinal deficit thanks to a break in the fourth game of the third set.
As Sinner stumbled on his ankle while attempting to reach the Centre Court net in the fourth set, the 35-year-old, who was in command, levelled the match with a double break. In the decider, Djokovic made two more breaks, the second coming after a fantastic cross-court backhand to go up 5-2 before comfortably serving it out.
