Trusty Rusty backing Thommo's brave Wimbledon push
Back brace-clad 'Thommo' has been struggling with a debilitating sacroiliac joint problem, yet has somehow managed to squeeze into the fourth round for the first time in nine attempts.
On Sunday, fifth seed Fritz awaits him, armed with a record of 73 aces at this edition so far and more grass-court match wins this year (11) than anyone. He's just won a tournament in Stuttgart and his fourth title at Eastbourne, looking a genuine title contender.
So all the help he can get is welcomed by Thompson - particularly from his Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, who's been a constant presence at courtside at Australian men's matches over the past week.
'Rusty' Hewitt was, of course, the last Wimbledon men's winner here back in 2002, and his famed fighting spirit has been replicated by the 31-year-old Thompson so far.
After he had prevailed in his second-straight five-setter against Benjamin Bonzi, Thompson had thumped his hand against heart, roaring "that's some f***ing ticker!", while revealing how that phrase had come straight from the Hewitt lexicon.
"I'm more grateful that Rusty's there because I know he's done everything in tennis, and I know how he's felt, and I know he knows how I'm feeling," said Thompson, who's coached by Marinko Matosevic.
"Sometimes he's talking more than my coach, but I look to both of them. Obviously, I'm with Marinko every day, but Rusty's been in this position so many times, so he knows how it feels.
"Marinko will be the first one to admit that, and he'll take a backward step. He's got no ego about coaching, so he just wants the best for me. So it works well.
"Rusty'll put his thoughts forward, and I always appreciate that, but he doesn't step on anyone's toes, and certainly not Marinko's, because he knows Marinko's done a great job with me.
"He just says what he needs to - and sometimes less is better - but if I ask him, he'll give me the full detail."
They all have their work cut out plotting Fritz's downfall, even though the American has had tendinitis problems in his knee while, like Thompson, having to battle through two five-setters and a four-setter to set up the last-16 duel.
The last time they played, at Queen's Club last year, Thompson won in straight-sets but the Sydneysider shrugs: "Yeah, I won last time on grass, but it was very different grass in different circumstances. So it'll be a new day."
Fritz is certainly not taking the world No.44 lightly. "Thompson is going to be tricky," he said. "He's probably going to serve and volley me a lot, chip me a lot. He's good on grass.
"It's a different kind of match to the ones I've been playing. It's going to be a lot of trying to kind of break my rhythm and take me out of my groove of just serving and ripping, so it's going to be different, for sure."
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Favourites progress at Wimbledon, but suffer first
Aryna Sabalenka will meet Amanda Anisimova for a place in the women's singles final at Wimbledon, which was expected when day nine dawned at the Championships. What was not anticipated was just how hard it would be for both players to reach the last four. World No.1 and title favourite Sabalenka looked on the cusp of going out against 37-year-old 104-ranked Laura Siegemund when she was 4-3 and a break down in the third set, having also lost the first. Anisimova, meanwhile, almost threw away what had appeared an unassailable lead against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, being forced to save five set points having led 6-1 5-2 before taking her fourth match point. She finally won 6-1 7-6 (11-9). Sabalenka subsequently reflected that she would probably have lost had she not put herself through a tough self-appraisal after losing the French Open final to Coco Gauff. In that match she made 70 unforced errors, losing after winning the first set, and realised she needed to control her emotions better on court. It did not look as if she had absorbed the lesson during the first set with her body language portraying her frustration as she struggled to deal with Siegemund's unusual mix of slices and chops. "I think there's a big possibility that I would have lost this match if I didn't learn that lesson at the French Open," Sabalenka said after winning 4-6 6-2 6-4 in six minutes short of three hours. "In some moments I just ... kept reminding myself, 'Come on, it's the quarter-final of Wimbledon, you cannot give up, you cannot let the emotions just take over you and lose another match'. "I was just reminding myself that it's my dream, why would I give up so easily, so I have to keep fighting ... I kept telling myself that, and I was willing to win points, to push myself and to get those tough points." Anisimova also struggled to control her emotions as 50th-ranked Pavlyuchenkova launched her comeback. The 34-year-old won three games on the trot, saving two match points in the process, including hitting a gutsy dropshot winner that completely caught the 13th seed by surprise. Anisimova looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, mouthing to her support group "one more point" as the Russian kept earning set points in the tiebreak. The 23-year-old American failed to qualify for Wimbledon last year but reached the quarter-final in 2022 and the French Open semi-final, as a 17-year-old, in 2019. In 2023 she took a break from the tour, saying she had been "struggling with my mental health and burnout". "It's been an extraordinary year for me," she said. "So many highs. It's just been such a ride, and I've been enjoying every step of the way. Even times like today, when you're not sure you're going to cross the finish line, I keep reminding myself to enjoy the moment." The pair met at Roland Garros, Sabalenka winning 7-5 6-3, but she said of facing Anisimova on grass: "I definitely think this surface suits her game really well. That's why she's playing so well so far." On Wednesday (local time) the remaining women's quarter-finals will feature seventh seed Mirra Andreeva vs. Belinda Bencic and eighth seed Iga Swiatek vs. 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova. with agencies Aryna Sabalenka will meet Amanda Anisimova for a place in the women's singles final at Wimbledon, which was expected when day nine dawned at the Championships. What was not anticipated was just how hard it would be for both players to reach the last four. World No.1 and title favourite Sabalenka looked on the cusp of going out against 37-year-old 104-ranked Laura Siegemund when she was 4-3 and a break down in the third set, having also lost the first. Anisimova, meanwhile, almost threw away what had appeared an unassailable lead against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, being forced to save five set points having led 6-1 5-2 before taking her fourth match point. She finally won 6-1 7-6 (11-9). Sabalenka subsequently reflected that she would probably have lost had she not put herself through a tough self-appraisal after losing the French Open final to Coco Gauff. In that match she made 70 unforced errors, losing after winning the first set, and realised she needed to control her emotions better on court. It did not look as if she had absorbed the lesson during the first set with her body language portraying her frustration as she struggled to deal with Siegemund's unusual mix of slices and chops. "I think there's a big possibility that I would have lost this match if I didn't learn that lesson at the French Open," Sabalenka said after winning 4-6 6-2 6-4 in six minutes short of three hours. "In some moments I just ... kept reminding myself, 'Come on, it's the quarter-final of Wimbledon, you cannot give up, you cannot let the emotions just take over you and lose another match'. "I was just reminding myself that it's my dream, why would I give up so easily, so I have to keep fighting ... I kept telling myself that, and I was willing to win points, to push myself and to get those tough points." Anisimova also struggled to control her emotions as 50th-ranked Pavlyuchenkova launched her comeback. The 34-year-old won three games on the trot, saving two match points in the process, including hitting a gutsy dropshot winner that completely caught the 13th seed by surprise. Anisimova looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, mouthing to her support group "one more point" as the Russian kept earning set points in the tiebreak. The 23-year-old American failed to qualify for Wimbledon last year but reached the quarter-final in 2022 and the French Open semi-final, as a 17-year-old, in 2019. In 2023 she took a break from the tour, saying she had been "struggling with my mental health and burnout". "It's been an extraordinary year for me," she said. "So many highs. It's just been such a ride, and I've been enjoying every step of the way. Even times like today, when you're not sure you're going to cross the finish line, I keep reminding myself to enjoy the moment." The pair met at Roland Garros, Sabalenka winning 7-5 6-3, but she said of facing Anisimova on grass: "I definitely think this surface suits her game really well. That's why she's playing so well so far." On Wednesday (local time) the remaining women's quarter-finals will feature seventh seed Mirra Andreeva vs. Belinda Bencic and eighth seed Iga Swiatek vs. 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova. with agencies Aryna Sabalenka will meet Amanda Anisimova for a place in the women's singles final at Wimbledon, which was expected when day nine dawned at the Championships. What was not anticipated was just how hard it would be for both players to reach the last four. World No.1 and title favourite Sabalenka looked on the cusp of going out against 37-year-old 104-ranked Laura Siegemund when she was 4-3 and a break down in the third set, having also lost the first. Anisimova, meanwhile, almost threw away what had appeared an unassailable lead against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, being forced to save five set points having led 6-1 5-2 before taking her fourth match point. She finally won 6-1 7-6 (11-9). Sabalenka subsequently reflected that she would probably have lost had she not put herself through a tough self-appraisal after losing the French Open final to Coco Gauff. In that match she made 70 unforced errors, losing after winning the first set, and realised she needed to control her emotions better on court. It did not look as if she had absorbed the lesson during the first set with her body language portraying her frustration as she struggled to deal with Siegemund's unusual mix of slices and chops. "I think there's a big possibility that I would have lost this match if I didn't learn that lesson at the French Open," Sabalenka said after winning 4-6 6-2 6-4 in six minutes short of three hours. "In some moments I just ... kept reminding myself, 'Come on, it's the quarter-final of Wimbledon, you cannot give up, you cannot let the emotions just take over you and lose another match'. "I was just reminding myself that it's my dream, why would I give up so easily, so I have to keep fighting ... I kept telling myself that, and I was willing to win points, to push myself and to get those tough points." Anisimova also struggled to control her emotions as 50th-ranked Pavlyuchenkova launched her comeback. The 34-year-old won three games on the trot, saving two match points in the process, including hitting a gutsy dropshot winner that completely caught the 13th seed by surprise. Anisimova looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, mouthing to her support group "one more point" as the Russian kept earning set points in the tiebreak. The 23-year-old American failed to qualify for Wimbledon last year but reached the quarter-final in 2022 and the French Open semi-final, as a 17-year-old, in 2019. In 2023 she took a break from the tour, saying she had been "struggling with my mental health and burnout". "It's been an extraordinary year for me," she said. "So many highs. It's just been such a ride, and I've been enjoying every step of the way. Even times like today, when you're not sure you're going to cross the finish line, I keep reminding myself to enjoy the moment." The pair met at Roland Garros, Sabalenka winning 7-5 6-3, but she said of facing Anisimova on grass: "I definitely think this surface suits her game really well. That's why she's playing so well so far." On Wednesday (local time) the remaining women's quarter-finals will feature seventh seed Mirra Andreeva vs. Belinda Bencic and eighth seed Iga Swiatek vs. 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova. with agencies Aryna Sabalenka will meet Amanda Anisimova for a place in the women's singles final at Wimbledon, which was expected when day nine dawned at the Championships. What was not anticipated was just how hard it would be for both players to reach the last four. World No.1 and title favourite Sabalenka looked on the cusp of going out against 37-year-old 104-ranked Laura Siegemund when she was 4-3 and a break down in the third set, having also lost the first. Anisimova, meanwhile, almost threw away what had appeared an unassailable lead against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, being forced to save five set points having led 6-1 5-2 before taking her fourth match point. She finally won 6-1 7-6 (11-9). Sabalenka subsequently reflected that she would probably have lost had she not put herself through a tough self-appraisal after losing the French Open final to Coco Gauff. In that match she made 70 unforced errors, losing after winning the first set, and realised she needed to control her emotions better on court. It did not look as if she had absorbed the lesson during the first set with her body language portraying her frustration as she struggled to deal with Siegemund's unusual mix of slices and chops. "I think there's a big possibility that I would have lost this match if I didn't learn that lesson at the French Open," Sabalenka said after winning 4-6 6-2 6-4 in six minutes short of three hours. "In some moments I just ... kept reminding myself, 'Come on, it's the quarter-final of Wimbledon, you cannot give up, you cannot let the emotions just take over you and lose another match'. "I was just reminding myself that it's my dream, why would I give up so easily, so I have to keep fighting ... I kept telling myself that, and I was willing to win points, to push myself and to get those tough points." Anisimova also struggled to control her emotions as 50th-ranked Pavlyuchenkova launched her comeback. The 34-year-old won three games on the trot, saving two match points in the process, including hitting a gutsy dropshot winner that completely caught the 13th seed by surprise. Anisimova looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, mouthing to her support group "one more point" as the Russian kept earning set points in the tiebreak. The 23-year-old American failed to qualify for Wimbledon last year but reached the quarter-final in 2022 and the French Open semi-final, as a 17-year-old, in 2019. In 2023 she took a break from the tour, saying she had been "struggling with my mental health and burnout". "It's been an extraordinary year for me," she said. "So many highs. It's just been such a ride, and I've been enjoying every step of the way. Even times like today, when you're not sure you're going to cross the finish line, I keep reminding myself to enjoy the moment." The pair met at Roland Garros, Sabalenka winning 7-5 6-3, but she said of facing Anisimova on grass: "I definitely think this surface suits her game really well. That's why she's playing so well so far." On Wednesday (local time) the remaining women's quarter-finals will feature seventh seed Mirra Andreeva vs. Belinda Bencic and eighth seed Iga Swiatek vs. 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova. with agencies
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'People were worried': How Joe Schmidt saved Lions tour
Ireland legend Johnny Sexton has credited his former coach Joe Schmidt with turning around the Wallabies' fortunes - and saving a once-in-12-years Lions tour from irrelevance. The British and Irish Lions are set for the toughest test of their tour yet when they take on Australia's top Super side, the ACT Brumbies, in Canberra on Wednesday night. Having blown the Queensland Reds and Western Force out of the water before a tussle with the NSW Waratahs, the Brumbies - albeit undermanned - are expected to challenge the tourists. It's a stark change from 18 months ago, when the hapless Wallabies were at rock bottom after their earliest exit from a World Cup and the messy resignation of coach Eddie Jones. While the Wallabies are by no means favourites to win the three-Test series, New Zealand-born Schmidt has righted the ship and brought belief back to the side. They have suffered a huge blow with the loss of first-choice flyhalf Noah Lolesio following surgery but Schmidt has backed other playmakers Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson. Although they remain a lowly eighth in the world rankings, the Wallabies showed promise in last year's tour of the British Isles, beating England and Wales and falling narrowly to Ireland. Sexton was not surprised Schmidt managed to draw the best out of the Wallabies after guiding his Irish side to the top of the rankings in a stellar stint from 2013 to 2019. "He's a smart guy. Obviously, I've got a great relationship with him. But he's doing a great job with Australia, I think," said Lions assistant coach Sexton. "You know, 18 months ago, people were worried about this tour, and now it's all to play for. It's fantastic for the series." Lions head coach Andy Farrell also knows Schmidt's coaching style inside out, having served as his assistant in the Ireland set-up from 2016 to 2019. "They got on great off the pitch, you know, they were bouncing off each other; good cop, bad cop," Sexton said. "They dovetailed well. Joe was always the bad cop. Andy was sometimes good, sometimes bad, but they were brilliant together. "They knew how to push the buttons of that team, in particular. You could tell that they were in it together. "And I'd say Andy learned a lot from Joe, but then at the same time, he's come in and he's changed a lot, evolved things. "And that's always what you want, isn't it? Because if you went and tried to imitate Joe, people would see through." With Wallabies great Stephen Larkham at the helm, a torrid Brumbies test awaits before the coaching trio's reunion. Near-freezing temperatures and dewy conditions are expected on Wednesday night, with the Brumbies likely to use their strong line speed to make it hard for the Lions on the ball, Sexton said. "They're a very good team, probably the best Australian franchise," he said. "They've put in a lot of good performances against us in the past, and we expect no different tomorrow." The Brumbies are the only Australian Super Rugby team to have beaten the Lions, overcoming a Sexton-less side 14-12 in 2013. Ireland legend Johnny Sexton has credited his former coach Joe Schmidt with turning around the Wallabies' fortunes - and saving a once-in-12-years Lions tour from irrelevance. The British and Irish Lions are set for the toughest test of their tour yet when they take on Australia's top Super side, the ACT Brumbies, in Canberra on Wednesday night. Having blown the Queensland Reds and Western Force out of the water before a tussle with the NSW Waratahs, the Brumbies - albeit undermanned - are expected to challenge the tourists. It's a stark change from 18 months ago, when the hapless Wallabies were at rock bottom after their earliest exit from a World Cup and the messy resignation of coach Eddie Jones. While the Wallabies are by no means favourites to win the three-Test series, New Zealand-born Schmidt has righted the ship and brought belief back to the side. They have suffered a huge blow with the loss of first-choice flyhalf Noah Lolesio following surgery but Schmidt has backed other playmakers Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson. Although they remain a lowly eighth in the world rankings, the Wallabies showed promise in last year's tour of the British Isles, beating England and Wales and falling narrowly to Ireland. Sexton was not surprised Schmidt managed to draw the best out of the Wallabies after guiding his Irish side to the top of the rankings in a stellar stint from 2013 to 2019. "He's a smart guy. Obviously, I've got a great relationship with him. But he's doing a great job with Australia, I think," said Lions assistant coach Sexton. "You know, 18 months ago, people were worried about this tour, and now it's all to play for. It's fantastic for the series." Lions head coach Andy Farrell also knows Schmidt's coaching style inside out, having served as his assistant in the Ireland set-up from 2016 to 2019. "They got on great off the pitch, you know, they were bouncing off each other; good cop, bad cop," Sexton said. "They dovetailed well. Joe was always the bad cop. Andy was sometimes good, sometimes bad, but they were brilliant together. "They knew how to push the buttons of that team, in particular. You could tell that they were in it together. "And I'd say Andy learned a lot from Joe, but then at the same time, he's come in and he's changed a lot, evolved things. "And that's always what you want, isn't it? Because if you went and tried to imitate Joe, people would see through." With Wallabies great Stephen Larkham at the helm, a torrid Brumbies test awaits before the coaching trio's reunion. Near-freezing temperatures and dewy conditions are expected on Wednesday night, with the Brumbies likely to use their strong line speed to make it hard for the Lions on the ball, Sexton said. "They're a very good team, probably the best Australian franchise," he said. "They've put in a lot of good performances against us in the past, and we expect no different tomorrow." The Brumbies are the only Australian Super Rugby team to have beaten the Lions, overcoming a Sexton-less side 14-12 in 2013. Ireland legend Johnny Sexton has credited his former coach Joe Schmidt with turning around the Wallabies' fortunes - and saving a once-in-12-years Lions tour from irrelevance. The British and Irish Lions are set for the toughest test of their tour yet when they take on Australia's top Super side, the ACT Brumbies, in Canberra on Wednesday night. Having blown the Queensland Reds and Western Force out of the water before a tussle with the NSW Waratahs, the Brumbies - albeit undermanned - are expected to challenge the tourists. It's a stark change from 18 months ago, when the hapless Wallabies were at rock bottom after their earliest exit from a World Cup and the messy resignation of coach Eddie Jones. While the Wallabies are by no means favourites to win the three-Test series, New Zealand-born Schmidt has righted the ship and brought belief back to the side. They have suffered a huge blow with the loss of first-choice flyhalf Noah Lolesio following surgery but Schmidt has backed other playmakers Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson. Although they remain a lowly eighth in the world rankings, the Wallabies showed promise in last year's tour of the British Isles, beating England and Wales and falling narrowly to Ireland. Sexton was not surprised Schmidt managed to draw the best out of the Wallabies after guiding his Irish side to the top of the rankings in a stellar stint from 2013 to 2019. "He's a smart guy. Obviously, I've got a great relationship with him. But he's doing a great job with Australia, I think," said Lions assistant coach Sexton. "You know, 18 months ago, people were worried about this tour, and now it's all to play for. It's fantastic for the series." Lions head coach Andy Farrell also knows Schmidt's coaching style inside out, having served as his assistant in the Ireland set-up from 2016 to 2019. "They got on great off the pitch, you know, they were bouncing off each other; good cop, bad cop," Sexton said. "They dovetailed well. Joe was always the bad cop. Andy was sometimes good, sometimes bad, but they were brilliant together. "They knew how to push the buttons of that team, in particular. You could tell that they were in it together. "And I'd say Andy learned a lot from Joe, but then at the same time, he's come in and he's changed a lot, evolved things. "And that's always what you want, isn't it? Because if you went and tried to imitate Joe, people would see through." With Wallabies great Stephen Larkham at the helm, a torrid Brumbies test awaits before the coaching trio's reunion. Near-freezing temperatures and dewy conditions are expected on Wednesday night, with the Brumbies likely to use their strong line speed to make it hard for the Lions on the ball, Sexton said. "They're a very good team, probably the best Australian franchise," he said. "They've put in a lot of good performances against us in the past, and we expect no different tomorrow." The Brumbies are the only Australian Super Rugby team to have beaten the Lions, overcoming a Sexton-less side 14-12 in 2013.
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Champ through at Wimbledon but mystery over Sinner scan
Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz has eased into the semi-finals, where he will face fifth seed Taylor Fritz, but mystery surrounds the fitness of his expected challenger in Sunday's final, Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz brushed aside the remaining home player, Briton Cameron Norrie, 6-2 6-3 6-3, on the same Centre Court on which less than 24 hours earlier Sinner had escaped when two sets down after Grigor Dimitrov had to retire with a chest muscle injury. Amid the drama surrounding the Bulgarian on Monday night (local time) it was largely forgotten that Sinner had himself been nursing an injury to his elbow, incurred while breaking a fall, and had taken a medical time-out for it. On Tuesday morning Sinner, who is due to meet American Ben Shelton in the quarter-final on Wednesday, had an MRI scan, and in the afternoon he cancelled his planned practice session. There was no official update from Sinner's camp but his Australian coach Darren Cahill reportedly told ESPN the Italian had a hit indoors for 20 to 30 minutes. "It was quite an unfortunate fall," Sinner said on Monday night. "I felt it quite a lot, especially on serve and forehand. We are going to check with MRI to see if there's something serious, and then we'll try to adjust it." There were no such worries for Alcaraz. He lost the first three points on serve, but prevented Norrie securing the break and never looked back. He took the first set in 28 minutes and the match in 99. The victory extended his winning streak to 23 matches and his record on grass to 34 wins from 37. "To be able to play another semi-final here at Wimbledon is really special," Alcaraz said. "I am really happy with the level I played today against a really difficult player like Cam." Fritz's path to the last four was not as smooth as the Spaniard's. Russian 17th seed Karen Khachanov won the third set 6-1, the American needed a medical time-out, and there was another technology malfunction with the automated line calls. "The match was going so well for me for two sets," he said after taking a fourth set tie-break to wrap up the match 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4). "I've never had a match just flip so quickly, so I'm really happy with how I came back in the fourth set and got it done. "I felt I couldn't miss and then all of sudden I'm making a ton of mistakes. "Momentum was definitely not going to be on my side going into a fifth." Fritz said the treatment on his right foot ahead of the fourth set was just a minor matter. "It's totally fine, it's pretty common, a lot of players do this tape job so your foot doesn't get irritated," he said. "I think I ripped it off at some point in the second so I just needed to get it re-done." The erroneous line call came soon after when 'Fault' was incorrectly called after a Fritz backhand landed well inside the baseline. It became evident the system was still tracking the initial serve so chair umpire Louise Azemar-Engzell ordered the point be replayed. The All England Club explained the system had failed to reset because the ball from Fritz's first serve was still being retrieved when he started lining up his second. Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz has eased into the semi-finals, where he will face fifth seed Taylor Fritz, but mystery surrounds the fitness of his expected challenger in Sunday's final, Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz brushed aside the remaining home player, Briton Cameron Norrie, 6-2 6-3 6-3, on the same Centre Court on which less than 24 hours earlier Sinner had escaped when two sets down after Grigor Dimitrov had to retire with a chest muscle injury. Amid the drama surrounding the Bulgarian on Monday night (local time) it was largely forgotten that Sinner had himself been nursing an injury to his elbow, incurred while breaking a fall, and had taken a medical time-out for it. On Tuesday morning Sinner, who is due to meet American Ben Shelton in the quarter-final on Wednesday, had an MRI scan, and in the afternoon he cancelled his planned practice session. There was no official update from Sinner's camp but his Australian coach Darren Cahill reportedly told ESPN the Italian had a hit indoors for 20 to 30 minutes. "It was quite an unfortunate fall," Sinner said on Monday night. "I felt it quite a lot, especially on serve and forehand. We are going to check with MRI to see if there's something serious, and then we'll try to adjust it." There were no such worries for Alcaraz. He lost the first three points on serve, but prevented Norrie securing the break and never looked back. He took the first set in 28 minutes and the match in 99. The victory extended his winning streak to 23 matches and his record on grass to 34 wins from 37. "To be able to play another semi-final here at Wimbledon is really special," Alcaraz said. "I am really happy with the level I played today against a really difficult player like Cam." Fritz's path to the last four was not as smooth as the Spaniard's. Russian 17th seed Karen Khachanov won the third set 6-1, the American needed a medical time-out, and there was another technology malfunction with the automated line calls. "The match was going so well for me for two sets," he said after taking a fourth set tie-break to wrap up the match 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4). "I've never had a match just flip so quickly, so I'm really happy with how I came back in the fourth set and got it done. "I felt I couldn't miss and then all of sudden I'm making a ton of mistakes. "Momentum was definitely not going to be on my side going into a fifth." Fritz said the treatment on his right foot ahead of the fourth set was just a minor matter. "It's totally fine, it's pretty common, a lot of players do this tape job so your foot doesn't get irritated," he said. "I think I ripped it off at some point in the second so I just needed to get it re-done." The erroneous line call came soon after when 'Fault' was incorrectly called after a Fritz backhand landed well inside the baseline. It became evident the system was still tracking the initial serve so chair umpire Louise Azemar-Engzell ordered the point be replayed. The All England Club explained the system had failed to reset because the ball from Fritz's first serve was still being retrieved when he started lining up his second. Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz has eased into the semi-finals, where he will face fifth seed Taylor Fritz, but mystery surrounds the fitness of his expected challenger in Sunday's final, Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz brushed aside the remaining home player, Briton Cameron Norrie, 6-2 6-3 6-3, on the same Centre Court on which less than 24 hours earlier Sinner had escaped when two sets down after Grigor Dimitrov had to retire with a chest muscle injury. Amid the drama surrounding the Bulgarian on Monday night (local time) it was largely forgotten that Sinner had himself been nursing an injury to his elbow, incurred while breaking a fall, and had taken a medical time-out for it. On Tuesday morning Sinner, who is due to meet American Ben Shelton in the quarter-final on Wednesday, had an MRI scan, and in the afternoon he cancelled his planned practice session. There was no official update from Sinner's camp but his Australian coach Darren Cahill reportedly told ESPN the Italian had a hit indoors for 20 to 30 minutes. "It was quite an unfortunate fall," Sinner said on Monday night. "I felt it quite a lot, especially on serve and forehand. We are going to check with MRI to see if there's something serious, and then we'll try to adjust it." There were no such worries for Alcaraz. He lost the first three points on serve, but prevented Norrie securing the break and never looked back. He took the first set in 28 minutes and the match in 99. The victory extended his winning streak to 23 matches and his record on grass to 34 wins from 37. "To be able to play another semi-final here at Wimbledon is really special," Alcaraz said. "I am really happy with the level I played today against a really difficult player like Cam." Fritz's path to the last four was not as smooth as the Spaniard's. Russian 17th seed Karen Khachanov won the third set 6-1, the American needed a medical time-out, and there was another technology malfunction with the automated line calls. "The match was going so well for me for two sets," he said after taking a fourth set tie-break to wrap up the match 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4). "I've never had a match just flip so quickly, so I'm really happy with how I came back in the fourth set and got it done. "I felt I couldn't miss and then all of sudden I'm making a ton of mistakes. "Momentum was definitely not going to be on my side going into a fifth." Fritz said the treatment on his right foot ahead of the fourth set was just a minor matter. "It's totally fine, it's pretty common, a lot of players do this tape job so your foot doesn't get irritated," he said. "I think I ripped it off at some point in the second so I just needed to get it re-done." The erroneous line call came soon after when 'Fault' was incorrectly called after a Fritz backhand landed well inside the baseline. It became evident the system was still tracking the initial serve so chair umpire Louise Azemar-Engzell ordered the point be replayed. The All England Club explained the system had failed to reset because the ball from Fritz's first serve was still being retrieved when he started lining up his second. Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz has eased into the semi-finals, where he will face fifth seed Taylor Fritz, but mystery surrounds the fitness of his expected challenger in Sunday's final, Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz brushed aside the remaining home player, Briton Cameron Norrie, 6-2 6-3 6-3, on the same Centre Court on which less than 24 hours earlier Sinner had escaped when two sets down after Grigor Dimitrov had to retire with a chest muscle injury. Amid the drama surrounding the Bulgarian on Monday night (local time) it was largely forgotten that Sinner had himself been nursing an injury to his elbow, incurred while breaking a fall, and had taken a medical time-out for it. On Tuesday morning Sinner, who is due to meet American Ben Shelton in the quarter-final on Wednesday, had an MRI scan, and in the afternoon he cancelled his planned practice session. There was no official update from Sinner's camp but his Australian coach Darren Cahill reportedly told ESPN the Italian had a hit indoors for 20 to 30 minutes. "It was quite an unfortunate fall," Sinner said on Monday night. "I felt it quite a lot, especially on serve and forehand. We are going to check with MRI to see if there's something serious, and then we'll try to adjust it." There were no such worries for Alcaraz. He lost the first three points on serve, but prevented Norrie securing the break and never looked back. He took the first set in 28 minutes and the match in 99. The victory extended his winning streak to 23 matches and his record on grass to 34 wins from 37. "To be able to play another semi-final here at Wimbledon is really special," Alcaraz said. "I am really happy with the level I played today against a really difficult player like Cam." Fritz's path to the last four was not as smooth as the Spaniard's. Russian 17th seed Karen Khachanov won the third set 6-1, the American needed a medical time-out, and there was another technology malfunction with the automated line calls. "The match was going so well for me for two sets," he said after taking a fourth set tie-break to wrap up the match 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4). "I've never had a match just flip so quickly, so I'm really happy with how I came back in the fourth set and got it done. "I felt I couldn't miss and then all of sudden I'm making a ton of mistakes. "Momentum was definitely not going to be on my side going into a fifth." Fritz said the treatment on his right foot ahead of the fourth set was just a minor matter. "It's totally fine, it's pretty common, a lot of players do this tape job so your foot doesn't get irritated," he said. "I think I ripped it off at some point in the second so I just needed to get it re-done." The erroneous line call came soon after when 'Fault' was incorrectly called after a Fritz backhand landed well inside the baseline. It became evident the system was still tracking the initial serve so chair umpire Louise Azemar-Engzell ordered the point be replayed. The All England Club explained the system had failed to reset because the ball from Fritz's first serve was still being retrieved when he started lining up his second.
