Wimbledon | Sinner defeats Alcaraz to set up quarterfinal clash with Djokovic

Nothing could throw Jannik Sinner off course on Sunday as he zoned in on securing a blockbuster quarter-final date with six-times champion Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. Even when Carlos Alcaraz snatched away two match points during a spellbinding third-set tiebreak, the Italian did not flinch.

When three more match points disappeared within a blink of an eye with Sinner 5-2 up in the fourth set, the Italian kept on believing. And it was that belief, along with a sledgehammer of a forehand, that carried him into the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time with a 6-1 6-4 6-7(8) 6-3 victory over the Spanish fifth seed.

On a day when Wimbledon’s most famous stage celebrated its centenary, the two youngest players left in the men’s draw gave a glimpse of the future with some breathtaking shot-making that earned them a standing ovation from 15,000 hollering fans.

“It’s tough when you have match point and you still have to play — I tried my best,” said Sinner, who until this week had never won a match on grass.

“I’m very happy how I reacted in the beginning of the fourth because I was struggling but I’m very happy to be in the next round and hopefully I can play some good tennis there.”

Nail-biting match

With Wimbledon’s all-time greats Rod Laver and Billie Jean King watching on from the Royal Box, the first two sets gave absolutely no indication of the nail-biting drama that would unfold on Centre Court.

The highly-rated Alcaraz, who has won a Tour-leading four titles this year, was sucked into a Sinner whirlwind as he lost seven games in a row from 1-1 in the first set.

Just when it seemed that Sinner would unceremoniously freeze out the friend with whom he had shared an ice bath two days earlier, Alcaraz’s fearsome forehand suddenly started to cause some damage.

At 6-6 in the third set, it was game on in the battle of the belting…