Tennis: Alcaraz doesn't know 'limit' after Wimbledon repeat

LONDON -- Carlos Alcaraz said he does not know his limit after overpowering Novak Djokovic on Sunday to win his second Wimbledon title but believes the Serb is still "Superman".

The Spanish third seed beat the seven-time champion 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), collecting the fourth Grand Slam of his young career and underlining a changing of the guard.

Alcaraz, 21, who has won three of the past five majors, said he wanted to enjoy his "amazing journey so far" rather than look too far into the future.

"I really want to keep going, to keep improving, to keep growing up, try to keep winning. That's all that matters for me right now," he said.

"I don't know what is my limit. I don't want to think about it. I just want to keep enjoying my moment, just to keep dreaming.

"So let's see if at the end of my career it's going to be 25, 30, 15, four (Slams). I don't know. All I want to say is I want to keep enjoying and let's see what the future brings to me."

Despite his staggering success at such a tender age, Alcaraz said it was more important where he finished.

"I want to sit at the same table as the big guys," he said. "That's my main goal. That's my dream right now."

Djokovic was aiming for record 25th major but struggled to get going against a man 16 years his junior on Centre Court, and Alcaraz said he took advantage of the veteran's mistakes.

Alcaraz described the Serb as "Superman" before the tournament started and said he had no reason to change his mind, especially as Djokovic had surgery on his knee just last month.

"I'm still believing that Novak is Superman because what he has done this tournament with a surgery just a few weeks before the tournament began," he said.

"It is amazing. It is unbelievable. Honestly, as I said on court, I was talking to my team that the work that Novak has done has been unbelievable."

Alcaraz and world number one Jannik Sinner, 22, have won all three Grand Slams this year, suggesting a change in the balance of power at the top of the game.

The Spaniard said it was positive to have new champions after Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer dominated for so long.

"I think it is good for tennis to have new faces winning the big things and fighting for the big tournaments," he said.

"I'm really glad to have him (Sinner) there. As I said many times, we have a really good rivalry, as young players that are coming up, fighting for these things as well. I think it's great for the sport, for tennis and I think for the players."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Alcaraz beats Djokovic in five sets to win first Wimbledon title

LONDON -- Carlos Alcaraz defeated seven-time champion Novak Djokovic to claim his first Wimbledon title on Sunday, shattering the Serb's dream of a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam crown.

World number one Alcaraz recovered from dropping the first set and saving a set point in the second to win 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 after four hours and 42 minutes on Centre Court.

It was a second major for the 20-year-old Spaniard following his US Open title last year as he became Wimbledon's third youngest men's champion.

The result will also spark feverish speculation over the start of a generational shift, with 36-year-old Djokovic carrying the torch of the 'Big Three' now that Roger Federer is retired and Rafael Nadal is sidelined, perhaps permanently.

Australian Open and French Open champion Djokovic had been bidding to equal Federer's record of eight Wimbledon titles, match Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 Slams and become the All England Club's oldest men's champion.

When he won his first major at the Australian Open in 2008, Alcaraz was still three months shy of his fifth birthday.

"You inspire me a lot," Alcaraz told Djokovic after becoming the third Spanish winner of the title, following in the footsteps of Manuel Santana in 1966 and Nadal in 2008 and 2010.

"I started playing tennis watching you. Since I was born you were already winning tournaments. It is amazing," he added with a smile after firing 66 winners past the Serb, off-setting his 45 unforced errors.

"I fall in love with grass right now. It's amazing."

Nadal took to Twitter to salute Alcaraz, praising him for bringing "immense joy" to Spanish tennis and telling him to "enjoy the moment".

Djokovic was playing in his ninth final at Wimbledon and 35th at the majors, while for Alcaraz it was just a second in the Slams following his US Open triumph.

"What a quality at the end of the match when you had to serve it out," said Djokovic, who had been chasing a fifth successive Wimbledon crown.

- 'You deserve it' -

"You came up with some big plays in the big situation and you absolutely deserve it. Amazing.

"As for me, you never like to lose matches like these but I guess when all the emotions are settled I'll have to be very grateful."

The Serb, who was on a 34-match winning streak at Wimbledon, went into the final not having lost on Centre Court since his 2013 defeat to Andy Murray in the title match.

Alcaraz, who had been crippled by body cramping in his loss to Djokovic in the French Open semi-final in June, was unable to settle in the first set and let a break point slip away in the seven-minute opening game.

- Golden chance -

Djokovic took advantage and raced into a 5-0 lead on the back of a double break before the Spaniard got on the board.

It was too little, too late as Djokovic claimed the opening set with a smash.

But Alcaraz finally freed himself of his shackles and broke for 2-1 in the second set.

Djokovic hit straight back in the third game before saving a break point in the fourth, coming out on top of a 29-shot rally.

The Serb was hit with a time violation in the tie-break before seeing a set point saved.

Alcaraz needed no second invitation when he carved out and converted a set point to level the contest with a backhand winner.

The marathon set had taken 85 minutes as Djokovic's run of 15 tie-breaks won in a row at the majors ended.

Alcaraz broke in the opening game of the third set and again after an exhausting 26-minute fifth game, which went to 13 deuces and saw Djokovic save six break points before he cracked on the seventh.

Alcaraz backed it up with a rapid-fire service game which took just two minutes in comparison and broke again against the dispirited defending champion to move two sets to one ahead.

Djokovic broke twice in the fourth set, levelling the match courtesy of Alcaraz's seventh double fault of the final.

But Djokovic wasted a golden chance to break for 2-0 in the decider with a wild smash and Alcaraz made him pay, breaking for 2-1.

A frustrated Djokovic collected another code violation for destroying his racquet against the net post before he slipped 3-1 down.

Alcaraz was not to be denied and he claimed a famous victory when Djokovic buried a forehand in the net.

Agence France-Presse

'It's crazy': Unseeded Vondrousova stuns Jabeur to win Wimbledon

LONDON -- Marketa Vondrousova admitted even she was stunned by her historic Wimbledon triumph as the injury-plagued Czech became the first unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era.

Vondrousova upset the odds in Saturday's final on Centre Court as she powered to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Tunisian sixth seed Ons Jabeur.

The 24-year-old clinched an unexpected maiden Grand Slam title at the second attempt after losing to Ash Barty in the 2019 French Open final.

"After everything I have been through, I had a cast last time, it's amazing I can stand here and hold this trophy," said Vondrousova, who was sidelined with a wrist injury in 2022.

"I don't know how I've done it. Tennis is crazy."

Vondrousova joins Jana Novotna and Petra Kvitova as the only Czech women to win a Wimbledon title.

She is just the ninth unseeded champion at a Grand Slam tournament.

Vondrousova's triumph completed a remarkable comeback after a rash of injuries stalled her promising career.

Just 12 months ago, she was an injured bystander at Wimbledon, reduced to watching her best friend Miriam Kolodziejova attempt to qualify for the main draw.

Vondrousova's second wrist surgery had ruled the Olympic silver medallist out for six months, although her absence from the tour at least allowed her the space and time to get married.

"The comebacks are not easy. You never know what to expect," she said.

"I was hoping I could come back to this level and now I am here. It's an amazing feeling."

At 42 in the world, she was the second-lowest ranked player to reach the Wimbledon final -- only Serena Williams in 2018 was lower at 181.

So unexpected was her run that she told her husband Stepan Simek to stay at home in Prague to look after their cat Frankie until the final, when a pet sitter was found to allow her partner to make the trip to Wimbledon.

"It's amazing, tomorrow is our first wedding anniversary," said Vondrousova, who had a dismal record on grass prior to this year's Wimbledon.

"I think I'm going to have some beer. It's been an exhausting few weeks."

The tattooed Vondrousova has a fondness for body art and her victory means coach Jan Mertl has to get inked as well.

"I made a bet with my coach. He said if I win a Grand Slam he's going to get one also. So I think we're going to go tomorrow!" she said.

- Ice-cool Vondrousova -

While Vondrousova celebrated, Jabeur wept during an emotional trophy presentation after her latest heart-breaking Grand Slam loss.

Jabeur was the first Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final last year at Wimbledon, but defeat to Elena Rybakina in three sets took the shine off that achievement.

She endured more misery just weeks later when she lost to Iga Swiatek in the US Open final.

"It's going to be a tough day but I am not going to give up," she said while wiping away her tears.

Even for a player known as the 'Minister of Happiness', Jabeur's positive personality will be tested after her bid to become the first African and Arab woman to win a Grand Slam singles title ended in failure again.

"It's the most painful loss of my career. I'm going to look ugly in the photos so that's not going to help!" she said.

"But we're going to make it one day, I promise you. I'm going to come back stronger."

Jabeur had no answer to the big-hitting Vondrousova despite the support of 15,000 partisan fans under the closed Centre Court roof.

Trailing 4-2 in the first set, Vondrousova seized the momentum as she reeled off four consecutive games to take the opener.

Jabeur moved 3-1 up in the second set with a pair of breaks, only to falter again as her unforced errors reached 31 by the final game.

In contrast to Jabeur's troubles, Vondrousova remained ice-cool and sealed her unlikely triumph with a perfect volley before falling to the turf in delight.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Alcaraz, Djokovic set for 'feast' in blockbuster Wimbledon final

LONDON -- Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic set up a potentially era-defining Wimbledon title showdown after cruising through their semi-finals on Friday with the Serb superstar promising a "feast" of tennis in the championship match.

World number one and US Open winner Alcaraz, playing only his fourth grass-court tournament, defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open and French Open champion, reached his ninth final at the All England Club and record 35th at the Grand Slams by seeing off Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).

On Sunday, the 36-year-old world number two will attempt to equal Roger Federer's mark of eight Wimbledon titles and Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 majors.

Djokovic defeated Alcaraz in the French Open semi-finals in June with the Spaniard admitting the stress of facing the Serb had caused severe body cramps that undermined his performance.

"I believe I can beat Djokovic," said 20-year-old Alcaraz, who was still three months shy of his fifth birthday when Djokovic won his first Slam title in Australia in 2008.

"Everyone knows the legend he is. I will fight. I will believe in myself. There's no time to be afraid, no time to be tired."

Djokovic believes his experience in Slam finals will be a key factor but remains wary of the flamboyant shotmaker.

"He's in great shape. He's very motivated. He's young. He's hungry. I'm hungry, too, so let's have a feast," he said.

Alcaraz only won seven games when he suffered a straight sets loss to Medvedev at Wimbledon just two years ago.

Back then, however, he was 75 in the world while Medvedev was at number two in the rankings.

On Friday, serve dominated the opener until Alcaraz converted a break point for a 5-3 lead which he backed-up with a love service game.

Medvedev had his only break point snuffed out in the second game of the second set and US Open champion Alcaraz pounced again in the third on his way to a convincing lead.

Alcaraz was a break to the good for a 2-0 lead in the third set before four successive breaks gave the finale a sloppy appearance.

The Spaniard, however, steadied himself, moving into his first Wimbledon final with a spectacular running forehand, his 27th winner of the match.

Djokovic's victory over Sinner was tinged with controversy when he was penalized for hindrance and warned for slow play in the same game during the second set.

Djokovic, playing in his 12th Wimbledon semi-final, fought off three break points in the first set while only needing one of his own in the second game to secure the opener.

The 36-year-old had declared himself favourite for the title on the eve of the semi-final and he backed up that confidence with another break of the Italian for a 2-1 lead in the second set.

Seven-time champion Djokovic stretched to a 3-1 lead in a bizarre fourth game.

 - Hindrance call -

Firstly, he was docked a point for hindrance following a loud grunt which accompanied a down the line backhand.

Umpire Richard Haigh then handed him a code violation for taking too long between points.

"The hindrance early on in the match could have changed the course of the match. I felt nervous after that call, but I managed to re-group," said Djokovic, the first player, man or woman, to reach 35 finals at the Slams.

"It's probably the first time it's happened to me, I don't normally have extended grunts. Maybe it was an echo in the roof. It was a call that I have to respect."

Despite that double blow, Djokovic still claimed the set courtesy of his seventh ace of the contest against a player who took a two-sets lead against him in the quarter-finals last year before the champion pulled through in five.

Djokovic squandered three break points in the third game of the third set, then saved two set points in the 10th game.

- 'Thirty-six is new 36' -

He turned on his tormentors in the crowd, who were loudly supporting Sinner, by feigning mock tears after he dashed their hopes of a breakthrough for the Italian.

Djokovic then dominated the tie-break to preserve his 10-year undefeated record on Centre Court. He has won 34 matches in a row at the event.

"I feel 36 is the new 26, it feels pretty good. I feel a lot of motivation," he said.

Sinner warned Alcaraz not to be intimidated by Djokovic in Sunday's final.

"If you think how big he is, you struggle," he said.

Agence France-Presse

Djokovic into 12th Wimbledon semis, as Ukraine's Svitolina shines

LONDON -- Novak Djokovic reached a 12th Wimbledon semi-final and record-equaling 46th at the Grand Slams on Tuesday as Elina Svitolina stunned world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, delivering an emotional boost for her war-torn Ukraine homeland.

Djokovic, chasing an eighth title at the All England Club and 24th career major, defeated Andrey Rublev, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3, and will face Italy's Jannik Sinner for a place in the final.

The Serb has now reached as many semi-finals at the Slams as the retired Roger Federer.

The 36-year-old, playing in his 400th Grand Slam match, insisted he was enjoying being the man to beat.

"I love it. Any player wants to be in the position where all the other players want to beat you," he said after preserving his record of not losing on Centre Court since 2013.

"The pressure never goes away every time I come on court.

"They want to get a scalp and the win -- but it ain't happening!"

After dropping the first set, a fired-up Djokovic only allowed Rublev six points in the first five games of the second set.

The champion then needed five set points to claim the third while saving three break points in the same game.

Rublev's spirit drained away and Djokovic claimed victory with his 42nd winner of the tie.

The Russian world number seven has now lost all eight quarter-finals he has played at the majors.

"I had these little chances but I didn't make them. He made them. That's why he's Novak, one of the greatest players in history," he said.

 'I'll have a beer' 

Svitolina, the world No. 76, who gave birth last October and only returned to the tour in April, stunned US Open and French Open champion Swiatek in her quarter-final, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2.

Svitolina, already a semi-finalist in 2019, will take on Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic for a place in Saturday's championship match.

Unseeded Vondrousova made the last four by seeing off fourth-ranked Jessica Pegula 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

Svitolina, playing on a wild card, has reached the semi-finals by seeing off a quartet of Grand Slam title winners in Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin, Victoria Azarenka, in a stormy last-16 clash, and now Swiatek.

She said she intended to "enjoy the moment and have a beer".

"If you had told me before the tournament I would get to the semi-finals, I'd say you were crazy," said Svitolina, who also made the last eight at the French Open last month.

She could have had the match wrapped up in straight sets when she led 4/1 in the second-set tiebreaker before Swiatek hit back.

However, the 28-year-old Ukrainian composed herself, racing away to a double break in the decider.

"I told Elina at the net that I am rooting for her. I want to see her win the title," said Swiatek, who was playing in her first quarter-final at the All England Club.

 Vondrousova breakthrough 

Svitolina's win kept alive the prospect of a politically charged final between her and Belarusian world number two Aryna Sabalenka.

Belarus is a key ally of Russia in the war in Ukraine.

On Court One, Pegula, still searching for a semi-final place at the majors, led 4-1 in the final set against 42nd-ranked Vondrousova.

But the American was unable to push on as former French Open runner-up Vondrousova stormed back once the roof was closed on the arena.

"I don't know what happened," said the 24-year-old winner.

Sinner beat unseeded Russian Roman Safiullin to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final.

The Italian eighth seed recovered from a mid-match wobble to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

"It was obviously tough," said the 21-year-old, who squandered a two-sets-to-love lead against Djokovic in last year's quarter-final.

Sinner said he would take to the court in his semi-final with a "good mentality".

"I know Novak hasn't lost on Centre Court in 10 years so it will be a tough one but maybe it's my day."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Djokovic, Alcaraz stay on track for Wimbledon showdown

LONDON -- Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz stayed on track for a dream final at Wimbledon on Monday as defending women's champion Elena Rybakina reached the last eight after barely breaking sweat.

Last year's beaten finalist Ons Jabeur hammered two-time champion Petra Kvitova 6-0, 6-3 while second seed Aryna Sabalenka also won in straight sets.

Djokovic tamed the impressive serve of Hubert Hurkacz to stay on track for a record-equalling eighth title and 24th Grand Slam, winning 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (8/6), 5-7, 6-4 to reach his 14th quarter-final at the tournament.

The Serbian second seed was two sets up when a locally agreed 11:00 pm curfew halted play on Sunday.

The match resumed on Centre Court on Monday and the Polish 17th seed broke his illustrious opponent in the 12th game to get a foothold in the match.

In the fourth set, Djokovic broke for a 4-3 lead, ending Hurkacz's perfect run of 67 service games at the tournament this year.

Victory in his 100th match at the tournament gave the Serbian a 90th win.

"In the important moments, particularly in the fourth, I managed to read his serve, make that break. That was the key to success," said the 36-year-old, who will face Russia's Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals.

Alcaraz lost the first set to 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini but recovered to reach the quarters for the first time, winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

The Spaniard has little experience on grass in his short career but won last month's tournament at Queen's to set himself up for a tilt at the Wimbledon title.

"I really wanted to play the quarter-final here, coming this year with that goal," said the US Open champion, who reached the fourth round at the All England Club last year.

"It's my dream to play a final here, to win this title one day, so I hope to reach that dream this year but right now it's great to be in the quarter-finals."

Alcaraz will face sixth seed Holger Rune next after his fellow 20-year-old beat veteran Grigor Dimitrov 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.

Men's third seed Daniil Medvedev was 6-4, 6-2 ahead when unseeded Jiri Lehecka retired from their Court One clash with a foot injury.

The Russian will face 43rd-ranked Christopher Eubanks, who beat fifth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

The American described grass as the "stupidest" surface to play on last month but he has now changed his tune.

"The grass and I, we've had a very strenuous relationship over the years but right now I think it's my best friend," he said.

- Fairytale ends -

The first result of the day was on No. 2 Court, where 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva's fairytale run was brought to an end.

The teenager, who came through qualifying, looked set for a place in the quarter-finals when leading 25th seed Madison Keys by a set and 4-1 but the American fought back to win 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

The match ended in controversy when Andreeva was handed a penalty point for banging her racquet into the surface.

The sanction took Keys to match point.

Andreeva said she was seeking to channel Roger Federer, who was a hot-headed player in his younger days.

"I knew that Roger Federer was struggling with emotions when he was teenager," she said of the 20-time Grand Slam champion.

"I'm not the only one who also struggles."

In the opening match on Centre Court, Rybakina was 3-1 up when Brazilian world number 13 Beatriz Haddad Maia took a medical timeout to treat a lower back injury. She returned to the court but had to retire when trailing 4-1.

Kazakh third seed Rybakina will play Jabeur in the quarters in a re-match of last year's final after the Tunisian swept Kvitova aside in just over a hour.

"I'm probably going for my revenge," she said. "It was a difficult final last year. It's going to bring a lot of memories.

"I'm hoping to play like today and get the win because she's an amazing player."

In the other women's fourth-round tie, Belarusian second seed Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open this year, breezed past Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-0 and will play Keys next.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Djokovic beats Wawrinka and curfew as Murray hints Wimbledon days over

LONDON -- Novak Djokovic made the Wimbledon fourth round for the 15th time on Friday, beating old rival Stan Wawrinka and a night-time curfew as Andy Murray hinted his All England Club days may be over.

Djokovic, chasing a record-equaling eighth Wimbledon title and 24th career Grand Slam crown, came through 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) against the 38-year-old Wawrinka.

World number two Djokovic will face Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, who he has defeated five times in as many meetings, for a place in the quarter-finals.

Friday's win was Djokovic's 21st in 27 meetings with Wawrinka, a three-time major champion who famously defeated the Serb in the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open finals.

Djokovic never faced a break point under the Centre Court roof and completed victory just 15 minutes before the 11pm All England Club curfew kicked in otherwise they would have had to return on Saturday.

"Stan's doing an amazing job for his age -- we are two old guys," said 36-year-old Djokovic who went level with Pete Sampras's mark of 31 successive wins at the tournament.

"We've had great battles over the years. I respect him as a player and love him as a person. He's a really nice guy."

Djokovic's win kept him on course for a championship match showdown with world number one and US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz who defeated 84th-ranked Alexandre Muller of France 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3.

The 20-year-old Alcaraz will face Chile's Nicolas Jarry for a spot in the last 16.

Murray admitted he doesn't know if he will be back at Wimbledon after going down 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (2/7), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 to fifth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas in a four-hour 40-minute second round epic.

The 36-year-old has not made the second week of a Grand Slam since reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2017.

"I don't know," said former world number one Murray when asked if he would be back in 2024.

"Motivation is obviously a big thing. Continuing having early losses in tournaments like this don't necessarily help with that."

Tsitispas fired 90 winners past Murray and goes on to face Laslo Djere of Serbia for a place in the last 16.

"It's never easy against Andy. Everyone loves him here," said the 24-year-old Greek.

Murray had been ahead two sets to one when the match was halted on Thursday due to the tournament curfew.

However, he was unable to maintain the momentum on Friday despite not dropping serve in the match until the third game of the decider.

- Medvedev, Rune through -

Men's third seed Daniil Medvedev returned to complete his second-round clash against Adrian Mannarino, the Frenchman who defeated him at Wimbledon five years ago.

The mercurial Russian was two sets and 4-4 ahead when play was halted on day four but quickly wrapped up victory in a third set tie-break.

Danish sixth seed Holger Rune reached the third round for the first time, brushing aside Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4.

Seventh seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia and Italian eighth-seed Jannik Sinner made the last 16 with wins over David Goffin and Quentin Halys respectively.

World number one Iga Swiatek, the US Open and French Open champion, went through to the last 16 with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Petra Martic and next faces 14th-ranked Belinda Bencic.

Victory in that clash will give the 22-year-old Pole a place in the quarter-finals for the first time.

- Ukraine v Belarus -

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka recovered from a set down to beat Varvara Gracheva, who recently switched nationality from Russia to France, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Fifth-seeded Caroline Garcia became the fourth top 10 woman to be knocked out when she committed 53 unforced errors in a 7-6 (7/0), 4-6, 7-5 loss to Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.

Victoria Azarenka, twice a semi-finalist, made the last 16 when she brushed aside Russia's Daria Kasatkina.

She will face Elina Svitolina who will again refuse to shake hands with her Belarusian rival in protest at the country's support of Russia in the invasion of Ukraine.

"For me it's a big motivation and for my country as well. A lot of Ukrainians will be watching, will be supporting me. I will go out there and put the fighting spirit on," said Svitolina.

Fellow Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko triumphed in the longest-ever tiebreak in a Grand Slam women's singles match.

The deciding breaker stretched to a record 38 points as the 34-year-old defeated Ana Bogdan 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (20/18) having saved five match points and converting a seventh match point of her own.

Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu came back from 2-5 down in the final set to defeat Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10/7).

The Canadian will face last year's runner-up Ons Jabeur.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Djokovic celebrates 350th Grand Slam win at Wimbledon

LONDON -- Novak Djokovic became only the third player in history to win 350 Grand Slam singles matches after seeing off the challenge of Jordan Thompson at Wimbledon on Wednesday.

The defending champion beat his unseeded Australian opponent 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 to reach the third round, where he will meet Tomas Martin Etcheverry or Stan Wawrinka.

Roger Federer (369) and Serena Williams (365), both of whom retired last year, are the only players with more Grand Slam singles wins than Djokovic.

A single break secured the first set for the Serbian second seed and he edged the second-set tie-break to establish an iron grip on the match on Centre Court.

Thompson, ranked 70th in the world, remained steady on his serve in the third set but eventually cracked in the 12th game when trailing 6-5.

The 36-year-old Djokovic is targeting an eighth Wimbledon title, which would draw him level with Federer's men's record.

He is also chasing a 24th career Grand Slam title, which would equal Margaret Court's all-time record.

Agence France-Presse

'Worst nightmare': Kyrgios tackles Djokovic for Wimbledon title

LONDON -- Nick Kyrgios can become one of Wimbledon's most controversial champions on Sunday when he faces Novak Djokovic in a final set to showcase flamboyant shot-making punctuated by likely dark mood swings.

The maverick Australian crowd-pleaser is in his first Slam final at the age of 27 after a roller-coaster career.

There have been tempestuous outbursts, spats with players, officials and media and fines that he has previously estimated have cost him $500,000.

When Rafael Nadal's injury-enforced withdrawal gave him a free passage into Sunday's final, the Daily Telegraph asked if it represented "Wimbledon's worst nightmare".

Kyrgios, bidding to become Australia's first Grand Slam men's champion since Lleyton Hewitt at Wimbledon 20 years ago, has been box office on and off the court at the All England Club.

In a campaign of all-out attack, he has fired a tournament-leading 120 aces, 292 winners, the second-fastest serve of 137 miles (220 kilometers) per hour while being broken only six times.

But he has picked up $14,000 in fines, spat in the direction of fans and was even accused of having an "evil side" and being a "bully" by third-round rival Stefanos Tsitsipas.

He also has the added distraction of a court appearance in Australia next month, related to an allegation of assault.

"I never thought I'd be here at all, to be brutally honest with you," said the 27-year-old.

"I'm just super proud and I'm just ready to go. Once you are able to raise a Grand Slam trophy, that's like, I mean, kind of what else is there to achieve?"

Kyrgios, ranked 40, said that, win or lose on Sunday, he has already put his many detractors in their place.

"Since I was born, only eight people have ever won this title, like eight people. I'm just going to give it my best shot."

The final will be a clash between two men who have rarely seen eye-to-eye.

When Djokovic organized his ill-fated Adria Tour during the coronavirus pandemic, Kyrgios accused him of "lacking leadership and humility".

- 'Bromance' -

He once described the Serb's post-match victory celebrations as "cringeworthy".

Djokovic hit back last year when he said: "Off the court, I don't have much respect for him, to be honest."

However, Kyrgios performed an about-turn by becoming one of the few players to offer Djokovic support in his Australia deportation saga in January, related to his Covid vaccination status.

"We definitely have a bit of a bromance now, which is weird," said Kyrgios on Friday.

"We actually message each other on DMs in Instagram now and stuff. Earlier in the week, he was like, 'Hopefully I'll see you Sunday'."

Kyrgios knows how to beat Djokovic, winning their only two meetings in 2017 in Acapulco and Indian Wells without dropping a set.

Victory on Sunday would make him only the third unseeded man to lift the trophy after Boris Becker in 1985 and Goran Ivanisevic in 2001.

Djokovic is in his eighth Wimbledon final and record 32nd at all the majors.

He is chasing a seventh title to pull level with Pete Sampras and sit one behind Roger Federer's men's record of eight.

Victory would take him to 21 Grand Slams, one ahead of Federer and one behind Nadal.

Djokovic admits that he has warmed to Kyrgios but stopped short of agreeing they were at the "bromance" level.

- 'Better relationship' -

"We definitely have a better relationship than what it was probably prior to January this year," said the top seed.

"When it was really tough for me in Australia, he was one of the very few players that came out publicly and supported me and stood by me. That's something I truly appreciate. So I respect him for that a lot."

Djokovic, 35, praised Kyrgios for playing "lights-out every time he steps out onto the court".

He believes his experience could be crucial against a player whose previous best performance at the Slams were quarter-final runs at Wimbledon in 2014 and the Australian Open the following year.

"But he's a big-match player. The best tennis he's played is always against the top guys. That's why we all respect him, because we know what he can come up with.

"I'm glad that he's in the final because he's got so much talent."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Kyrgios faces court over assault allegation

SYDNEY, Australia -- Australian tennis ace Nick Kyrgios has been summoned to appear in court over an allegation of assault, his barrister told the Canberra Times newspaper Tuesday.

The news broke as the 27-year-old, one of the most polarizing figures in tennis, prepared to play in the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Wednesday, with organizers saying Kyrgios remained on schedule for his match.

Police in the Australian Capital Territory, where Canberra is located, released a statement without identifying the player.

"ACT Policing can confirm a 27-year-old Watson man is scheduled to face the ACT Magistrates Court on the 2nd of August in relation to one charge of common assault following an incident in December 2021," the statement said.

Barrister Jason Moffett told the Canberra Times that his client was aware of the allegation.

"It's in the context of a domestic relationship," he was quoted as saying.

"The nature of the allegation is serious, and Mr Kyrgios takes the allegation very seriously."

The barrister said Kyrgios would not comment because it was a court matter, but would release a statement "in the fullness of time".

Law firm Johannessen Legal subsequently released a statement on behalf of Kyrgios saying the tennis star "is not considered charged with an offence until the first appearance (in court)".

The firm added that "Kyrgios is committed to addressing any and all allegations once clear".

The world number 40 will face Chile's Cristian Garin on Wednesday for a place in the semi-finals.

It will be Kyrgios's first quarter-final at the Slams since the 2015 Australian Open.

A spokesperson for the All England Club said the tournament organizers "have been made aware of legal proceedings involving Nick Kyrgios in Australia, and as they are ongoing, we are not in a position to offer a comment."

In a statement, the spokesperson added: "We are in touch with Nick's team and he remains scheduled to play his quarter-final match tomorrow."

Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton addressed the controversial character of Kyrgios on Monday.

"We don't have a clear view of what is considered to be a perfect champion," she told reporters. "And it's a long way to the final so let's see what happens."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Djokovic in 13th Wimbledon quarter-final as Federer eyes 'one more time'

LONDON -- Six-time champion Novak Djokovic reached his 13th Wimbledon quarter-final on Sunday as injury-stricken rival Roger Federer revealed his desire to play at the All England Club "one more time".

Top seed Djokovic, seeking to move level with Pete Sampras as a seven-time champion, defeated Dutch wild card Tim van Rijthoven, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

"He was very tough. I have never faced him before," said Djokovic after racking up a 25th successive win on grass.

"He has a great serve, powerful forehand and nice touch."

Earlier Sunday, 20-time major winner Djokovic had seen fifth seed Carlos Alcaraz, his scheduled last-eight opponent, beaten by Jannik Sinner.

The 20-year-old Italian clinched a 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 6-3 win to set up a meeting with the top seed instead.

Sinner, who had never won a grass court match before this Wimbledon, is the youngest man in the last-eight since Nick Kyrgios in 2014.

"Carlos is a very tough opponent and a nice person. It's always a huge pleasure to play him," said Sinner after making the quarter-finals of a Slam for the third time.

Sinner needed six match points to seal the deal while Alcaraz was left to regret failing to convert any of his seven break points.

For the first time, play took place on middle Sunday.

It has traditionally been a rest day with the exception of a handful of occasions when rain in the opening week forced a quick planning reset.

The action on Centre Court was preceded by a parade of champions to mark the 100th anniversary of the stadium.

One of those was eight-time champion Federer, who is sitting out the 2022 tournament as he continues his slow recovery from knee surgery.

However, he insisted that he plans to be back in 2023, even though he will be within sight of his 42nd birthday.

"I hope I can come back one more time," said the 20-time Grand Slam winner. "I've missed it here."

Federer has been out of action since a quarter-final loss at Wimbledon last year before undergoing another bout of knee surgery.

"I knew walking out here last year, it was going to be a tough year ahead," said Federer.

- 'Knee rough on me' -

"I maybe didn't think it was going to take this long to come back -- the knee has been rough on me."

Belgium's David Goffin defeated Frances Tiafoe of the United States in the longest match at this year's Wimbledon to reach the quarter-finals.

Goffin, who also made the quarters on his last appearance in 2019, came out on top 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 after four hours and 36 minutes on Court Two.

The world number 58 will next face Britain's Cameron Norrie who reached a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time, sweeping past Tommy Paul 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

After women's top seed Iga Swiatek was knocked out Saturday, world number two Ons Jabeur stayed on course for a maiden Slam title.

The Tunisian made the last eight for a second successive year, beating Belgium's Elise Mertens 7-6 (11/9), 6-4.

Jabeur, who will face Marie Bouzkova for a semi-final place, said she wanted to be a trailblazer for Arab and African players.

"I wish I could really give that message to the young generation not just from my country but from the African continent," she said.

- 'Don't know how I got here' -

Bouzkova, the world number 66 from the Czech Republic, breezed past Caroline Garcia of France 7-5, 6-2.

Mother-of-two Tatjana Maria is also through to her first Slam quarter-final, 15 years after her debut.

The 34-year-old saved two match points to defeat former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 5-7, 7-5, 7-5.

Maria, ranked 103, fired nine aces and exploited Ostapenko's all-or-nothing approach, which resulted in 52 winners and 57 unforced errors.

"It makes me so proud to be a mum -- that's the best thing in the world," said Maria, who only returned from a second maternity leave less than a year ago.

Ostapenko grumbled: "She didn't really do anything today. She was just waiting on my mistakes."

Maria will face fellow German Jule Niemeier for a place in the semi-finals after the world number 97 beat Heather Watson 6-2, 6-4.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Tsitsipas says Kyrgios is 'a bully' with 'evil side'

LONDON -- Stefanos Tsitsipas branded Nick Kyrgios "a bully" with an "evil side" after losing a stormy Wimbledon clash on Saturday.

"It's constant bullying, that's what he does," the Greek fourth seed said in his post-match press conference after their third-round match.

"He bullies the opponents. He was probably a bully at school himself. I don't like bullies.

"He has some good traits in his character, as well.

"But... he also has a very evil side to him, which if it's exposed, it can really do a lot of harm and bad to the people around him."

The mercurial Australian prevailed 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) in the match, during which both players were handed code violations by the umpire.

Kyrgios even demanded the Tsitsipas be defaulted for hitting the ball into the crowd.

Tsitsipas admitted he deliberately hit the ball at Kyrgios at one stage in an effort to quieten the Australian.

"I was aiming for the body of my opponent but I missed by a lot," he said.

"This needs to stop. It's not okay. Someone needs to sit down with him and talk. I'm not used to play this way. 

"But I cannot just sit there, act like a robot and act like someone that is completely cold and ignorant.

"It felt like a bit of a circus. You get tired of the constant talking, the constant complaining," he added.

Kyrgios, in his own press conference, said he understood why Tsitsipas would be upset after losing two times in recent weeks, including in Halle.

"Maybe he should figure out how to beat me a couple more times first and then get to that," he said.

Kyrgios claimed he had been the victim of bullying on the court.

"I'm not sure how I bullied him. He was the one hitting balls at me, he was the one that hit a spectator, he was the one that smacked it out of the stadium. I didn't do anything.

- 'Stefanos 'soft' -

"I did nothing towards Stefanos today that was disrespectful."

"He's soft to come in here and say I bullied him. We're not cut from the same cloth. If he's affected by that, then that's what's holding him back," he added.

After sealing his victory, the 2014 quarter-finalist said he had fancied his chances coming into the match after his recent win against the fourth seed on the grass in Germany.

"He's a hell of a player. He knows how to beat me -- he's beaten me once," said the 40th-ranked Australian, who now has a 4-1 winning record against the Greek player.

"It's amazing, everywhere I go I seem to have full stadiums. The media loves to say I'm bad for the sport but clearly I'm not."

Kyrgios, who received an obscenity warning, did not lose his serve in the entire match, saving all five break points he faced and winning 81 percent of his first-serve points.

- Drama -

There was little hint of the drama to come when 23-year-old Tsitsipas edged a first-set tie-break.

But the match descended into mayhem when a frustrated Tsitsipas hit the ball into the crowd after losing the second set, for which he received a warning.

Kyrgios said Tsitsipas should be kicked out of Wimbledon, recalling the incident at the US Open in 2020 when Novak Djokovic was defaulted from the tournament after hitting a line judge with a ball.

In astonishing scenes, the Australian called the umpire a "disgrace", demanding to speak to supervisors and saying he would not continue until the situation was resolved.

"You can't hit a ball into the crowd and hit someone and not get defaulted," he said.

At that point Tsitsipas left the court but returned to boos in an increasingly volatile atmosphere on Court One.

Kyrgios, now on top against a clearly rattled Tsitsipas, broke in the fourth game of the third set.

Later in the set, Tsitsipas was given a point penalty for hitting the ball in frustration towards the back of the court after a Kyrgios underarm serve.

The 2019 ATP Finals champion appeared to aim shots in the direction of the Australian while Kyrgios continued to talk between points and bowed to the crowd at 5-3 following a winning drop shot.

Kyrgios won the set and immediately put pressure on Tsitsipas at the beginning of the fourth set but neither player could force a break despite multiple opportunities.

At 4-4 play was suspended for the roof to be closed and the match went to a nail-biting tie-break.

Tsitsipas had set points to draw level in the match but it was Kyrgios who came out on top when his opponent netted after a drop shot.

The Australian will play 20-year-old American Brandon Nakashima, the world number 56, in the last 16.

Agence France-Presse

‘So far, so good’, as Djokovic cruises into Wimbledon last 16

Three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the Wimbledon fourth round for the 14th time on Friday with a straight-sets demolition of Serbian compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic.

Djokovic, looking to pull level with Pete Sampras as a seven-time Wimbledon champion, triumphed 6-0, 6-3, 6-4.

Friday's win was the 330th of Djokovic's Grand Slam career.

"So far, so good," said the 35-year-old top seed, who has now reached the last 16 of a major for the 55th time.

"I expect high standards from myself. You always want to raise the level and things are shaping up well."

Waiting in the fourth round will be Dutch wild card Tim van Rijthoven.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Murray says Wimbledon 'will never be an exhibition'

LONDON -- Two-time former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray said Wednesday the tournament "will never feel like an exhibition" despite it being stripped of ranking points over the ban on Russian and Belarusian players.

The decision by the ATP and WTA to remove the sport's most prestigious tournament of ranking points has prompted some players to say they may skip Wimbledon, the year's third Grand Slam.

"I'd hazard a guess that most people watching on centre court Wimbledon in a few weeks' time wouldn't know or care about how many ranking points a player gets for winning a 3rd round match," tweeted Murray.

"But I guarantee they will remember who wins. Wimbledon will never be an exhibition and will never feel like an exhibition."

Former world number one Naomi Osaka has revealed she is "leaning towards not playing" Wimbledon while defending champion Novak Djokovic said he will play despite losing 2,000 points.

But Djokovic described it as a "lose-lose situation", and the controversy has showed no signs of abating, with several players at the ongoing French Open likening Wimbledon to a high-profile exhibition event this year.

"I follow golf very closely and have no idea how many ranking points the winner of the the Masters gets," said Murray, who opted to miss the French Open to prepare for the grass-court season.

"Me and my friends love football and none of us know or care how many ranking points a team gets for winning the FIFA World Cup.

"But I could tell you exactly who won the World Cup and the Masters." 

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Pliskova rallies to reach first Wimbledon final

LONDON - Former world number one Karolina Pliskova reached her maiden Wimbledon final after coming back from a set down to beat second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 5-7 6-4 6-4 on Thursday.

The Czech goes into Saturday's final looking to capture her first Grand Slam title, having only ever reached one other final when she finished runner-up to Angelique Kerber at the 2016 U.S. Open.

Pliskova will face another Wimbledon final debutant in world number one Ash Barty, who beat Kerber earlier on Thursday.

The 29-year-old Pliskova found it hard going against Sabalenka, the first seeded player she had faced in this year's tournament, and it showed as she dropped her first set on the only break point she faced with a double fault.

She made inroads on Sabalenka's booming serve, which reached speeds of 193 kilometres per hour, to clinch a break to love midway through the second set from which she served out to level the match.

The 23-year-old Sabalenka, playing in her first major semi-final, struggled for consistency, sending down 18 aces in the match but making 20 unforced errors including one to give up an early break in the first game of the deciding set.

Although the Belarusian rallied, Pliskova never looked in any danger, rarely breaking a sweat on her own serve as she booked her place in Saturday's showpiece with an ace. (Reporting by Christian Radnedge Editing by Toby Davis)

-reuters-

Final farewells: Federer defeat echoes Wimbledon exits of the greats

Roger Federer admitted he has yet to decide if he will return to Wimbledon next year after his shock straight-sets loss to Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

AFP Sport looks at how three previous greats bid farewell to the All England Club.

Pete Sampras-- Sampras was a seven-time Wimbledon champion but he arrived in London in 2002 having been defeated by a young Roger Federer in the fourth round 12 months earlier. It had also been two years since his last tour title.

Having opened his campaign with victory over Britain's Martin Lee, Sampras was sent out to Court Two, the All England Club's infamous 'Graveyard of the Champions' for his second round clash with Switzerland's George Bastl.

The Swiss, ranked 145 in the world, only made the main draw as a lucky loser from qualifying but he pulled off one of the tournament's greatest ever shocks when he defeated Sampras 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4.

It was 30-year-old Sampras's earliest loss at Wimbledon in 11 years.

"I wasn't at my best," admitted Sampras. 

"I'm not going to end my time here with that loss. I want to end it on a high note and so I plan on being back. As long as I feel like I can continue to win majors and contend, I'll continue to play."

Despite his defiance, it was to be Sampras's last visit to Wimbledon.

He retired later in 2002 but he went out on a high by winning a fifth US Open in September in his final tournament.

The old Court Two was demolished in 2009.

Boris Becker-- Becker, a three-time Wimbledon champion, played his last career match at the 1999 tournament. Ranked at 77 in the world, the 31-year-old reached the last 16 where he lost in straight sets to second seed Pat Rafter. 

It had been 10 years since the last of his three titles at the All England Club and 14 since his first as an unknown teenager diving to the left and right on Centre Court. 

As the German star walked off for the last time, he was given a standing ovation -- even the Royal Box stood to applaud.

"My whole Wimbledon career has been an attempt to live up to 1985 and it has been a big feat. What really bugs me is that I got to seven finals and won only three of them," said Becker.

"My only real regret is that I didn't play when John McEnroe was around. But when I was coming up he was going down. The best player I beat here was Andre Agassi. But I would love to have beaten Pete Sampras."

Bjorn Borg-- Borg won five successive Wimbledon titles from 1976-1980, revolutionising the appeal of the sport in the process. His last visit to the All England Club was in 1981 where he lost the final to John McEnroe, 12 months after having defeated the brash American in an epic final. 

The Swede finished his Wimbledon career at the age of just 25 with only four defeats in 55 matches.

McEnroe admitted he was stunned when Borg called it quits even though the Swede was to eventually make an ill-conceived return to the tour.

"Bjorn and I played just 14 matches on Tour. It was unbelievably disappointing," said McEnroe.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Djokovic reflects on 'unreal' Wimbledon final victory

LONDON -- Novak Djokovic said it was "unreal" to be holding the Wimbledon trophy for a fifth time having saved two match points against eight-time champion Roger Federer in Sunday's final.

The 32-year-old Serbian, winning back-to-back Wimbledon titles for the second time, prevailed in an epic duel, the longest ever final and the first decided by a deciding set tie-break.

Djokovic, who was out-played for large parts of the match by his 37-year-old opponent, eventually prevailed 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 13-12 (7/3) in 4 hours and 57 minutes.

"It is quite unreal to be two match points down to come back and strange to play a tie-break at 12-12. I was hoping to get to the tie break," he said.

Djokovic paid a handsome tribute to his Swiss rival.

"I think that if this is not the most exciting final then it's definitely in the top two or three of my career against one of the greatest players of all time, Roger, who I respect," said Djokovic.

"Unfortunately in this type of matches someone has to lose."

Djokovic -- who joined Swedish legend Bjorn Borg on winning five Wimbledon trophies -- said it had always been his dream to win when he was growing up.

"When I was a boy aged four or five, dreaming to be a tennis player, this has always been the tournament for me," he said.

"I used to make trophies out of different materials in my room and being here to share it with my parents, my son, and my team is extra special.

"I would like to say to my parents especially thank you for everything."

Federer, who agonisingly saw his bid of becoming the oldest ever Grand Slam champion, as well as winning a ninth title slip from his fingers, joked at first about being part of another epic final.

He had also been on the wrong end of the previous longest final, losing to Rafael Nadal in 2008.

"I will try to forget but it was a great match," he said.

"It was long, it had everything. I had answers so did he and we played some great tennis.

"I am happy with my performance, congratulations Novak, that was crazy."

Federer said he hoped he set an example to other people of his age.

"I hope I give some other people at 37 the feeling it is not over yet, I feel great," he said.

"This will take some time to recover from physically.

"I gave it all I had, I still I am still standing and hope it is the same for other 37-year-olds."

Federer said his children may not be the happiest they have been.

"They won't be excited with the plate -- they would rather take the gold thing (the trophy)."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tennis: Djokovic outlasts Federer to win Wimbledon in historic final

LONDON—Novak Djokovic again proved the toughest of nuts for Roger Federer to crack as he repelled everything the Swiss could throw at him to claim his fifth Wimbledon title in the first All England Club final to be decided by a tiebreaker on Sunday.

The defending champion was outshone at times on Centre Court and saved 2 match points deep into a gripping decider, but he dredged his tank of mental and physical resilience to claim a thrilling 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 13-12 (3) win.

Nothing could split the players in an intoxicating final set and the match was already the longest Wimbledon singles final in history when the club's new rule stipulating a tiebreak at 12-12 in a deciding set was deployed for the first time in singles.

As he had done in the day's two other tiebreaks, the top-seeded Djokovic showed nerves of steel to crush Federer's hopes of claiming a ninth title and becoming the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title in the professional era.

Djokovic moved 6-3 ahead and, after the final point had to be replayed following a Hawkeye challenge, he could celebrate victory when a weary Federer framed a forehand.

Victory took the 32-year-old Serbian level with Bjorn Borg in fourth place on the all-time list of men's winners at Wimbledon and increased his Grand Slam tally to 16 — 4 behind Federer. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Clare Fallon)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tennis: Serena has lost 'intimidation' factor, says Halep

LONDON -- Simona Halep believes that Serena Williams has lost the intimidation factor that once condemned rivals to defeat even before they set foot on court.

Halep handed the American legend a 6-2, 6-2 rout in the Wimbledon final on Saturday to become the first Romanian to win a singles title at the All England Club.

The 56-minute dissection of the Williams playbook was the 23-time Slam winner's most lopsided loss in a major final.

With her 38th birthday fast approaching, her dream of matching Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 majors seems as far away as it has ever been.

"I have always been intimidated a little bit when I faced Serena," admitted 27-year-old Halep.

"She's an inspiration for everyone and the model for everyone. But today I decided before the match that I'm going to focus on myself and on the final of Grand Slam, not on her. 

"That's why I was able to play my best, to be relaxed, and to be able to be positive and confident against her."

It was a tactic which worked to perfection for the world number seven who had lost nine of her previous 10 meetings with Williams.

Her only win had come at the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore in 2014.

For Halep, it was a second Grand Slam title after breaking her duck at the 2018 French Open which had followed three losses in title matches at the Slams.

On Saturday, she committed just three unforced errors; Williams was undone by 26.

"I'm very sure that was the best match of my life," said Halep.

The challenge now is for Halep to keep backing it up.

She has been a runner-up at the Australian Open, losing the 2018 final to Caroline Wozniacki.

Until this year, she had never got beyond the semi-finals at Wimbledon while a last-four run in 2015 remains her best performance at the US Open.

When she won the 2018 French Open, she exited Wimbledon in the third round and the US Open at the first hurdle.

"The finals I lost in the past helped me for sure to be different when I face this moment.

"It's never easy to play a Grand Slam final. You can get intimidated by the moment. You can get too nervous. 

"I have learned that it's a normal match, not thinking that much about the trophy, just going there and try to be the best as you can. So I did that. 

"I said that every time I would play a final of a Grand Slam, I will do exactly the same thing. So today I did it."

Halep, who is now looking forward to returning to the All England Club as a life member "to have dinner, have lunch, play a little bit of tennis" joked that her victory on Saturday was almost by royal command.

Up in the Royal Box was Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Halep's favourite.

"It was an honour to play in front of her. I had the chance to meet her after the match. She's very kind, very nice. 

"Yeah, it was an extra boost when I saw all of them there, the Royal family."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tennis: Simona Halep beats Serena to win Wimbledon singles title

LONDON—Serena Williams' wait for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title goes on after Simona Halep stunned the off-key American 6-2 6-2 in a one-sided Wimbledon final on Saturday.

An inspired Halep took full advantage of an error-strewn display by seven-times champion Williams to become the first Romanian to win a Wimbledon singles title.

The 27-year-old Halep, broke the Williams serve in the opening game and raced into a 4-0 lead in front of 15,000 disbelieving fans on Centre Court.

She remained rock solid throughout, making only three unforced errors, and Williams simply could not respond.

Even when Williams fired herself up at the start of the second set and began to strike the ball with her customary power, seventh seed Halep refused to take a backward step.

Halep weathered the storm and reeled off the last five games of what she described as the best match of her life.

Williams, who is still to add to her Grand Slam collection since giving birth to daughter Olympia in September 2017, looked out of ideas and the match ended after 56 minutes when she buried a forehand into the net -- her 26th unforced error.

"She played out of her mind," Williams, who had won nine of her previous 10 matches against Halep, said on court after picking up the runners-up salver for the second year running, having lost to a similarly inspired Angelique Kerber last year.

"It was a little bit a deer in headlights for me. Whenever a player plays like that you just have to take your hat off."

Until Saturday the only other Romanian to reach the Wimbledon final was Ilie Nastase who twice finished runner-up, in 1972 and 1976. But Halep went one better as she added the Wimbledon crown to the French Open she won in 2018.

"It's something very special and I'll never forget this day. It was my mum's dream when I was about 10. The day came," former world number one Halep said.

"Well I had nerves, my stomach wasn't well before. But I knew there was no time for emotions so I just came out on court to do my best." (Reporting by Martyn Herman Editing by Toby Davis)

source: news.abs-cbn.com