Wimbledon: Alcaraz, Medvedev, Paolini enter semifinals

Carlos Alcaraz won the battle of the two most recent Queen's Club champions as the Spaniard edged closer to winning a second successive Wimbledon title with an enthralling 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-2 quarter-final victory over American Tommy Paul on Tuesday.
Paul conjured some breathtaking shot-making during the first two sets and kept drawing roars of approval from the Court One crowd while making life uncomfortable for the third seed.

However, any hopes he might have harboured of ending his country's 21-year-wait for a men's Grand Slam champion at the All England Club this weekend were eventually snuffed out as the 21-year-old Alcaraz produced the goods on the crunch moments to run away with the final two sets.

After being kept on court for just over three hours, the third seed won his 12th match in a row at the grasscourt major when Paul swiped the ball wide. Alcaraz will next meet 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev for a place in Sunday's final.

Medvedev outlasts Sinner
Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev edged out ailing world number one Jannik Sinner in a grinding five-set battle to reach the Wimbledon semifinals for the second successive year.
A strange match full of momentum shifts and lulls was absorbing rather than thrilling but Medvedev did not care as he triumphed 6-7(7) 6-4 7-6(4) 2-6 6-3 on a covered Centre Court.

It snapped Medvedev's five-match losing sequence to Sinner and avenged his bitter defeat by the Italian in this year's Australian Open final when he squandered a two-set lead. Medvedev, who is bidding to add to his 2021 U.S. Open title, will face either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or American Tommy Paul in his ninth Grand Slam semifinal.

Top seed Sinner, who fell at the semi-final stage last year to Novak Djokovic, won the opening set in a tight tiebreak after saving a set point. But mistakes began to creep into his game, and after losing the second set courtesy of a sloppy service game he required medical attention early after dropping serve at 1-1 in the third and disappeared off court, apparently feeling ill.

Sinner looked groggy on his return but suddenly snapped back to life and hit back from 5-3 down in the third set with some crisp hitting as Medvedev's game went off the boil. But he could not convert two set points in the 12th game and was dragged into a tiebreaker that Medvedev sealed with an ace.

The 22-year-old Sinner dominated the fourth set, dropping only 12 points, and looked the favourite heading into the decider as for the 36th time at this year's Wimbledon a men's singles went the distance - a new record for a Grand Slam tournament in the professional era.

Russian Medvedev re-focused though and got an early break of serve which ultimately proved decisive as he calmly ticked off the games for victory in exactly four hours.

Paolini pummels Navarro to book semi with Vekic
Seventh seed Jasmine Paolini blazed past American Emma Navarro 6-2 6-1 on Tuesday, becoming the first Italian woman to make the Wimbledon semifinals where she faces experienced Croatian Donna Vekic.
The 28-year-old's victory ensured she eclipsed compatriots Camila Giorgi (2018), Francesca Schiavone (2009), Silvia Farina Elia (2003) and Laura Golarsa (1989), who had all reached the quarter-finals at the grasscourt Grand Slam in the Open era.

Navarro drew first blood in the third game with a forehand rocket but Paolini responded immediately and the French Open runner-up then ramped up the pressure after some heavy exchanges from the baseline to pull away for a 5-2 lead in the opening set.

The diminutive Italian mixed things up against her American opponent to comfortably win her fifth straight game and take the first set in double quick time on Centre Court.

Navarro, who had never lost in three previous meetings with Paolini, gave herself a fighting chance with two break points in the third game of the next set but the 19th seed was unable to convert either. The 23-year-old's hopes of reaching a first Grand Slam semi-final faded further as Paolini took a 5-1 lead, having staved off another comeback attempt.

Paolini wobbled slightly as she looked to land the knockout blow on serve but a wayward shot from Navarro sent her through.