No scares for Alcaraz as he blazes past Norrie, Fritz also into semis
The Spaniard stumbled early, trailing 0-40 in his opening service game on Centre Court. Any chance of an upset, however, was swiftly dashed as Alcaraz roared to a commanding 6-2 6-3 6-3 quarterfinal victory — one that should send a shudder down the spine of anyone hoping to dethrone him.
With hundreds of empty seats at the start — fans still trickling back after Aryna Sabalenka's drawn-out quarterfinal — Alcaraz wasted no time asserting his dominance.
By the time the crowd returned to rally behind Britain's last remaining singles hope, the second seed had blazed through the first set in 28 minutes, dazzling with his trademark blend of power and flair.
Norrie, unseeded and unorthodox, did his best to resist. He even raised his arms in mock celebration after holding serve late in the third set.
Carlos in cruise control 💪 #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/pu3aiLx0es
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2025
But the outcome was never in doubt. Alcaraz, now on a 23-match winning streak, was simply too good.
Alcaraz's eighth Grand Slam semifinal will be against American Taylor Fritz but before he continues his quest for a third successive Wimbledon title he has two days off owing to the All England Club schedule.
He would probably prefer to get straight back on court, such is the momentum he is building. When asked how he would use the time, one wag in the crowd suggested he could return to the Ibiza, the Balearic party island where he let his hair down after his second successive French Open title last month.
A beaming Alcaraz said something more sedate would suffice.
'I might try to go to the city centre if I have time. I want to play some golf with my team which will be fun,' he said.
"For sure I'll play some golf"
Carlos Alcaraz is planning on hitting the course during the two days before his semi-final match against Taylor Fritz. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Nkhyujl7Tr
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2025
'What I have been doing so far has worked so we will try to switch off together.'
Former semifinalist Norrie was the second British player Alcaraz has faced during this year's tournament having seen off qualifier Oliver Tarvet in the second round.
Tarvet stretched him far more than left-hander Norrie, but that was during a first week in which the five-times Grand Slam champion was working through the gears.
Any hope Norrie had of becoming only the third British player to knock out the defending Wimbledon men's champion were soon extinguished by the Spanish force of nature.
Having failed to convert four break points in the second game, Norrie gifted away his serve with double-fault and two games later his tentative volley allowed Alcaraz to wind up a ferocious dipping forehand that smacked the baseline.
Alcaraz had blown a hot and cold in his previous matches, but it is now the business end of the tournament and the rest of the match became a procession as he wrapped up his 34th win from 37 matches he has played on grass.
"I'm really happy with how I've turned my career around."
After losing in the #Wimbledon QF twice, Taylor Fritz is now in his first semi-final at SW19 👏 pic.twitter.com/x5OZbeNrGu
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2025
'To be able to play another semifinal here at Wimbledon is really special,' Alcaraz said. 'I want to go as far as I can and I am really happy with the level I played today against a really difficult player like Cam.'
Fifth seed Fritz reached the Wimbledon semis for the first time after coming through a topsy-turvy four-setter against Karen Khachanov where the American seemed to be cruising, but then had to show all his fighting spirit.
Fritz, in fine grass form after wins in Stuttgart and Eastbourne, triumphed 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-6(4) must have thought he was in for an easier passage as he ripped through the first two sets giving up only seven points in his 10 service games.
Russia's Khachanov, the 17th seed also seeking a first Wimbledon semi, then seemed to work out how to deal with the American's serve as he won eight of the next nine games to take the third set and move a break up in the fourth.
Fritz, however, regrouped to immediately break back, regain control of his service games and triumphed in the decisive tiebreak.
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