WIMBLEDON — Carlos Alcaraz battled past Taylor Fritz in sweltering 31°C heat to earn his place in the Wimbledon men’s final, edging the American 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) in a gripping semi-final that nearly went the distance.
The defending champion withstood a barrage of 135mph serves and powerful forehands from Fritz, saving two set points in the fourth-set tiebreak before sealing victory in just under three hours. He will now face Jannik Sinner in a rematch of their French Open final.
“It was a really difficult match,” Alcaraz said. “Even tougher with the conditions. And with the pressure of a semi-final it was not easy.”
While Wimbledon has played slower this year, this contest was a throwback to grass-court classics — short points, razor-thin margins, and dominant serving. Alcaraz, often known for his flamboyant shotmaking, shifted gears and resembled a serve-and-volley specialist, winning 88% of first-serve points and 31 of 41 points at the net.
“I was just serving really good,” Alcaraz added. “And I won a lot of serve and volley points today, just not letting the opponent get into the point.”
Fritz, who recently won grass-court titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne, gave a valiant effort and pushed Alcaraz to the brink. He capitalized on two crowd-related delays in the second set to break and level the match, and later forced a fourth-set tiebreak with clutch serving and heavy groundstrokes.
But Alcaraz’s variety and court coverage proved decisive. He earned a mini-break to lead the tiebreak 4-1, only for Fritz to fight back with a 140mph serve to create two set points at 6-4. Alcaraz erased them both, including an improbable return off a 134mph serve, then surged to win the final three points, propelled by a roaring Centre Court crowd.
“I’ve watched Carlos plenty,” Fritz said. “I feel like that’s the best I’ve seen him serve.”
Alcaraz’s ability to absorb pace and counterattack was clear from the opening game, where he returned Fritz’s thunderous serve and finished with a feathered drop shot. He broke immediately and raced through the opening set in 36 minutes, winning all 15 points on his first serve during that stretch.
Though Fritz broke through in the second, Alcaraz responded by winning 13 straight points early in the third to regain control. The American refused to fade, but couldn’t find answers in the clutch moments of the fourth-set breaker.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s final, Alcaraz praised Sinner’s growth since their Roland Garros clash. “He’s going to be better physically, better mentally. He’s going to be prepared.”
Still, the Spaniard enters the final as a five-time Grand Slam champion at just 22 years old — unbeaten in major finals — while Sinner seeks to prevent Alcaraz from claiming a sixth.
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