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      Djokovic to Face Alcaraz in Wimbledon Final After Easily Beating Sinner

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      The 23-time Grand Slam champion may have mellowed, but he is as determined as ever to win his favorite title again. He will play Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday.Six months ago, having just won the Australian Open one year after being deported from the country, Novak Djokovic collapsed in the arms of his family and his coaches in a moment of strained ecstasy.He had drawn even with Rafael Nadal in the race for most Grand Slam singles titles. When he finally took the lead last month, at the French Open, he fell onto his back in the red clay of Roland Garros and then called winning that tournament, his 23rd Grand Slam title, his version of scaling Mount Everest. He donned a warm-up jacket emblazoned with the No. 23 and jetted off to the Azores for a hiking vacation with his wife.To be in the presence of Djokovic these past two weeks is to be around someone who, at least when he is not working within the confines of the grass tennis court, is almost unrecognizable from his previous self. Gone is the pugnacious battler carrying around a career full of angst. His default facial expression, something like an inquisitive scowl, has been replaced with a relaxed grin.Walking on the streets of São Miguel or the grounds of the All England Club, from the practice courts to the locker room, he no longer stares mainly at the ground, moving purposefully past the passers-by. He stops and chats. He poses for a selfie and to sign an autograph. After a moderator cuts off his news conferences, he insists on sticking around for an extra question or two. When his day is done, he returns to the home he is renting close by for dinner with his wife and their young children.Djokovic signed autographs after his match.Neil Hall/EPA, via ShutterstockIt really is very good to be Novak Djokovic right now, and it got a little bit better on Friday. Djokovic easily handled Jannik Sinner, the rising Italian star who is supposed to be one of the special talents of the sport’s next generation, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4), setting up a men’s singles final showdown with Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday.The final point was a microcosm of the match and nearly all of Djokovic’s Grand Slam matches lately — a spirited rally in which Djokovic is thoroughly dialed in, ending with another opponent’s dreams crushed with a final backhand into the net.Cue Djokovic’s fist pump, his pounding the grass, his waves to the crowd.For the moment, he has stopped making declarations about Serbia’s long-running territorial conflict with Kosovo, inserting himself into a pitched and occasionally violent 700-year fight, or political battles over public health and personal freedom.Sure, the fans pull for his opponents, especially early on, when the beatings begin and perhaps some charity applause or any kind of support will extend the match a bit and bring a little more value to the Centre Court ticket that might have cost a week’s salary. Djokovic gets it. Just don’t do it when he’s about to serve or in the middle of the point.This was his 34th consecutive win at Wimbledon, and this one earned him a spot in Sunday’s final, a chance to win his fifth straight singles title here and to tie Roger Federer’s record eight singles titles.Jannik Sinner, the rising Italian star, lost to Djokovic in the semifinals.Alastair Grant/Associated Press“I still feel goose bumps and butterflies and nerves coming into every single match,” he said after his win on Friday. “I’m going to be coming into Sunday’s final like it’s my first, to be honest.”Djokovic is now eight matches from becoming the first man to win all four Grand Slam singles titles in the same calendar year since Rod Laver managed the feat in 1969.Is it possible for a best-of-five sets match to be over in the second game? With Djokovic on the court it is. That is how long it took for Djokovic to break Sinner’s serve. Sinner had a chance to forestall the inevitable outcome slightly in the fifth game, when, down by 3-1, he earned a chance to break Djokovic’s serve, but he sent his forehand just wide, and that was that.In his nearly 20-year career, Djokovic has lost just five times at a Grand Slam tournament after winning the first set, and just once after winning the first two. And all of that took place before he became this nearly invincible version of Djokovic.Another detail or two, if you are not convinced.There was a tense game early in the second set when Djokovic let out an extended roar after ripping a backhand down the line and the chair umpire penalized him by giving the point to Sinner because Djokovic was still yelling while Sinner was swinging. Djokovic was not happy about that, or with being called for taking too long to hit his serve a few moments later.He wandered behind the baseline to gather himself and control the frustration that would have boiled over and crippled a younger, more impetuous Djokovic. Then came some solid serves and crisp strokes, and the game was over.There was another moment of annoyance in the third set, after Sinner had raised his level of play, started whacking the ball through the court and ultimately earned two set points with Djokovic serving at 4-5, 15-40.Carlos Alcaraz will play Djokovic in the finals. “He’s young, he’s hungry — I’m hungry too,” Djokovic said. “Let’s have a feast.”Sebastien Bozon/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesDjokovic sent his first serve into the net and a few fans seated close by cheered. Another yelled, “Come on, Rafa!”Djokovic didn’t like any of it. He raised a sarcastic thumb in the air and shook his head, and then stared down the hecklers after he won the next point and the game. Eventually, there was a tiebreaker. Djokovic doesn’t lose tiebreakers, especially not when he is sliding into backhands and forcing his opponents to keep hitting one more shot, and then another, as he did against Sinner to climb back from a 3-1 deficit and win six of the next seven points.Djokovic has won six of the 11 Grand Slam tournaments since tennis returned from its Covid-19 break in 2020, but he has played in only eight of them. He missed two because of his refusal to be vaccinated against the virus and was defaulted from a third, the 2020 U.S. Open, when he accidentally hit a line judge with a ball he swatted in anger.More times than not, the only way to keep him from winning the most important titles in the sport is to keep him from competing.Federer is retired. Nadal is out indefinitely, recovering from hip and abdominal surgery. Andy Murray, a friend and boyhood rival from Djokovic’s teenage years in junior tennis, has a metal hip and can’t get past the first week of Grand Slams anymore.For 15 years, Djokovic dedicated his career to being better than them — not just for one match or one tournament, but forever.Now that his rivals are on their way out, Djokovic has gone on the hunt for new motivation. He has already largely vanquished one generation of future stars — Medvedev, Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, who generally crumble against him in the Grand Slam events, half-beaten by his aura and his past domination of them before his first forehand sharply angles across the court.“In the pressure moments, he was playing very good, not missing,” Sinner said. “That’s him.”Now he has another Grand Slam title in his sights, and the 20-something upstarts want to topple him before he eventually exits the game. He doesn’t often speak of taking any special pleasure from beating players whose legs have so many fewer miles than his do, players who really should be sending off an opponent in the second half of his thirties. But he did just that, briefly, earlier in the week, after beating Rublev, who is 25 and put up a solid effort in the quarterfinals, losing in four sets.“They want to win, but it ain’t happening still,” Djokovic said on the court when it was over.Now comes Alcaraz for the second time in five weeks. In the French Open semifinal, an overstressed Alcaraz suffered nearly paralyzing full-body cramps.Now, the 20-year-old Spanish star, the only player younger than 27 with a Grand Slam title, gets another chance against an even more relaxed Djokovic, playing his ninth Wimbledon final. Alcaraz has played only 12 matches at Wimbledon in his life.“He’s young, he’s hungry — I’m hungry too,” Djokovic said. “Let’s have a feast.” More

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      The Strawberry Fields of Wimbledon

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      A team of workers has been racing to pick, pack and transport the more than two million strawberries that are expected to be served over the course of the tournament.It was midmorning and the sun was still rising across the English countryside, but Shakhboz Yakhshiboev had been awake since the early hours. Against the backdrop of first light, Yakhshiboev had been making his way through one of the many 50-yard-long polytunnels that were his assignment for these two weeks.His hands appeared to blur as they ran across strawberry after strawberry, their plants all placed at shoulder height. Yakhshiboev’s fingertips squeezed and his eyes scanned each berry. Split-second judgments were required: Too large or too small? Ripe or not yet? Is the color just right?To pick or not to pick?Yakhshiboev, 30, a seasonal fruit picker from Uzbekistan, is part of a 32-person team that, for the duration of Wimbledon, has been the first link in a chain that brings fresh, British strawberries from Hugh Lowe Farms in Mereworth, Kent, to be eaten at the two-week Grand Slam tournament held roughly 30 miles away.A serving of strawberries and cream has become as synonymous with Wimbledon as a Honey Deuce cocktail at the U.S. Open in New York or a pimento cheese sandwich at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga. More

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      Elina Svitolina’s Love Affair With Wimbledon Ends, but U.S. Open Awaits

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      Svitolina, the Ukrainian star who captured hearts in London and beyond, lost to Marketa Vondrousova on Thursday but will play on through the summer.One fan in Centre Court held the Ukrainian flag. Another yelled, “We love you, Elina.” The Ukrainian ambassador was there, too, cheering along with fans from Britain, the United States, Uganda, Bulgaria and more, for Elina Svitolina, the uncrowned sentimental champion of Wimbledon 2023.But in the end, the pressure of carrying the hopes of both her own nation and Wimbledon Nation wore her down. Despite the attempts of the crowd to bolster her spirit, Svitolina was unable to overcome Marketa Vondrousova, the 42nd-ranked player in the world, who beat her in straight sets on Thursday, leaving a palpable void in the tournament.“It’s a lot of responsibility, a lot of tension,” Svitolina conceded after the match. “I try to balance it as much as I can. But, yeah, sometimes it gets maybe too much.”Svitolina, who has been a flag-bearer both for Ukraine and for new mothers around the world, planned to depart Britain on Friday to reunite with her daughter and family. But revitalized by her triumph at Wimbledon, she will carry on through the summer and onward, drawing even more attention to her twin causes.“What she is doing is beautiful in so many ways,” said Phuma Yeni, a social care worker from London. “Everyone is rooting for her because she is so courageous.”Despite the attempts of the crowd to bolster her spirit, Svitolina was unable to overcome Marketa Vondrousova.During her semifinal loss, fans atop Henman Hill, the mound next to Court 1 where fans gather to watch matches on a giant video screen, fell almost silent. They cheered and clapped when Svitolina did well, but it became clear early on that she was in a desperate fight, and a sullen cloud of gloom descended over the grand tennis campus.“It’s very sad,” said Valia Ivanova, a civil servant and tennis fan from London, by way of Bulgaria, who normally supports Novak Djokovic. “She has such a beautiful story, and everyone wanted her to win. Now, you can hear, it is just silent.”Svitolina has become a beacon for many people in her country and beyond for her outspoken support of Ukraine’s efforts to fight against the Russian invasion. She has used her celebrity, organizing tennis events and other activities to raise money for relief efforts, and has made public declarations decrying the invasion. She also drew attention to the cause by refusing to shake hands — as is customary after each match — with players from Russia and Belarus. The latter country provided support for the invasion.Svitolina said she had felt the support from the fans throughout her six matches here, and she thanked the tennis fans who had come to watch her in person and the millions more watching on television from her homeland and around the world. She specifically thanked the British people and government for their staunch support of Ukraine since the 2022 invasion, in providing both military assistance and sanctuary for refugees.“I’m really thankful for the crowd to support me, be there for me, and all Ukrainian people as well,” Svitolina said. “They support us quite a lot in different kind of ways, for a lot of Ukrainians who arrived here when the war started. Really thankful for all the people to support us in different levels.”Wimbledon, which barred Russian and Belarusian players from participating last year, relented this year and allowed them to play, but it does not recognize the countries they represent. Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine’s ambassador, watched Svitolina play from the Royal Box on Thursday, and she was not even aware of it until her postmatch news conference.“I’m really thankful for the crowd to support me, be there for me, and all Ukrainian people as well,” Svitolina said. Since the beginning of the tournament, the All England Club has provided tickets, transportation and food to over 1,000 Ukrainian refugees. The club would most likely have done so even if Svitolina had not been rampaging to a semifinal, but her success shone more light on the circumstances.“She is the story of the tournament,” said Sarah Sserwanga, a tennis fan from London who watched the match with her daughter, Zoe. “Everything she is doing has been so inspiring.”Many fans have also been inspired by Svitolina’s ability to play so well as a new mother. In October, she gave birth to a girl, Skai, and she returned to the tennis tour in April. Her husband, the professional tennis player Gaël Monfils, has been at home with the baby, along with both of the couple’s mothers. Svitolina has worked mostly alone here to charm and captivate the fans.Sserwanga, an executive, has two children, and was able to take six months off to care for them after each were born. Then it was back to work. She tried to imagine the challenges Svitolina had faced in coming back so soon and leaving her baby behind during her extended run here.“Your body can change, your emotions swirl, and you don’t know what is coming next sometimes,” Sserwanga said. “To have all that, plus playing for your country as she is, it is amazing. Simply amazing.”For the next several weeks, on hardcourts across North America, leading up to the U.S. Open, Svitolina will try to build on her success and perhaps convert it into her first final at a Grand Slam event.Before that, she was looking forward to the one thing she knew would cheer her up: seeing her daughter again. As tears welled in her eyes during her painful postmatch news conference, a smile broke through.“That will be the best part,” she said. More

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      Jabeur and Vondrousova Finesse Way to Wimbledon Final

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      Ons Jabeur will try for a third time to become the first Arab woman to win a Grand Slam event. But don’t count out the crafty Marketa Vondrousova.When Thursday afternoon began, the Wimbledon women’s singles final held the possibility of featuring a new mother from Ukraine taking on a player seeking to become the first woman from an Arab country to win a Grand Slam singles title, or her facing a Belarusian in a match that would overflow with wartime tension.When it was over, Elina Svitolina of Ukraine was out, but Ons Jabeur’s dream was still alive after her stirring comeback win over Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. Sabalenka would have become the world No. 1 with a win on a hostile Centre Court, but instead, Jabeur, the crafty and athletic Tunisian, showcased her skills and plenty of grit in a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 victory.For a set and a half, Sabalenka overpowered Jabeur, and she got within two games of advancing to the final and taking the top ranking. But down a set and by 4-2 in the second, Jabeur dug in. She found a way to manage Sabalenka’s rocket serves, took advantage of an increasingly edgy opponent and won 10 of the next 13 games to set up a date in Saturday’s final against an unlikely opponent, Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, who earlier in the day ended Svitolina’s improbable run in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.“Crazy match,” said Jabeur, a groundbreaking figure for the Arab world. “One more match to go.”In Vondrousova, Jabeur will face an opponent with a deceptively slim résumé but a penchant for ruining sentimental narratives. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Vondrousova eliminated Naomi Osaka, the national hero and international star who lit the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony, on her way to winning a silver medal.Against Svitolina, she displayed all of the best skills that make up her varied game — wristy, rolling forehands; drop shots; and a thirst to move toward the net to finish points at every opportunity. Being left-handed also helped. It generally forces opponents to adjust to different spins than they normally face and to switch the direction of their attack in their efforts to get the ball onto her backhand.Marketa Vondrousova ended the surprise run of Elina Svitolina to make her second career major final. She lost the 2019 French Open final to Ashleigh Barty.Mike Hewitt/Getty ImagesBut it’s safe to say not many people considered Vondrousova a potential finalist when this tournament started two weeks ago. A year ago, at Wimbledon, she was in a cast, recovering from wrist surgery and watching her friend and doubles partner, Miriam Kolodziejova, in the singles qualifying tournament before spending a week as a tourist in London.More surprising, Vondrousova, 24, had never made it past the second round at Wimbledon in four tries. She has never fancied herself as much of a grass-court player, though her game, which has some pop when she needs it but doesn’t rely on power, bears a striking similarity to that of Jabeur, who also made last year’s final.“I feel like we’re the same in some things,” Vondrousova said of Jabeur. “We’re playing drop shots. We’re playing slice.”And now she is playing Jabeur.When Wimbledon began, there was plenty of chatter about the women’s game having a new Big Three in Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek, the winners of the last four Grand Slam tournaments. All three are tall and powerful, and they often blow their opponents off the court.The last two women standing, though, are Vondrousova and Jabeur, who beat Rybakina on Wednesday before toppling Sabalenka. Jabeur turned Thursday’s match late in the second set with two breaks of Sabalenka’s serve when she desperately needed them. On set point to even the match, Jabeur banged a backhand down the line off Sabalenka’s second serve and jogged to her chair with her finger to her ear, as if the crowd could scream any louder for her. Then she took that finger and wagged it in the air as Sabalenka walked closer and closer to her.Jabeur, 28, came within a set of winning this tournament last year, and she received a hero’s welcome at the airport when she returned to Tunisia. She is the highest-ranked African or Arab player, male or female, in tennis history, and she has made no secret that a Wimbledon title is her dream.Last year, a photograph of the women’s singles trophy was the background of her phone display. She has said there is a trophy on that screen once again this year, but she has not publicly said which one.Sports psychologists can debate whether Jabeur is focusing too much on results rather than the process and on accepting that anything can happen on any given day but good things will come from hard work and dedication.Jabeur enjoyed the crowd’s support during her semifinal match with Aryna Sabalenka, who was among those barred from playing Wimbledon last year because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Tolga Akmen/EPA, via ShutterstockJabeur, whose nickname is the Minister of Happiness because her almost always cheery demeanor and optimistic outlook can feel unique in an era when so many players struggle with their mental health, said looking at a trophy works for her.“I like to know exactly what I want,” she said. “I know if I want that thing so bad, I will get it.”That, giving her all and playing with much emotion and joy, she said, is what keeps her motivated.“It comes with pressure, yes, I understand that, but it’s something that I want so bad,” she said of the trophy picture. “I believe that I can do it as long as I’m giving everything that I can, as long as I know where I’m going. I think it will help me a lot.”The crowd probably will, too. The fans were with her from the first moments Thursday, and especially against Sabalenka, who, like all Russians and Belarusians, was prohibited from playing Wimbledon last year because of her country’s support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In recent days, as Sabalenka crept closer to the final, concerns rose over whether Catherine, Princess of Wales, who traditionally presents the trophy to the singles winner, would be forced to give it to Sabalenka.Jabeur saved the monarchy from that uncomfortable outcome. She has knocked off four Grand Slam winners on the way to the final, surviving one of the toughest draws in the tournament and three three-set matches.Now she will try to win one more match and the most important title in the sport against a player who has beaten her twice this year.“I’m going for my revenge,” she said with a smile.Vondrousova is one of a flurry of Czech talents. Last month, Karolina Muchova, 26, a friend of Vondrousova’s, fell two games short of winning the French Open. The country of 10.7 million people has eight women in the top 50.Vondrousova is seventh among them at 42nd. She was ranked No. 1 in the world as a junior and reached the French Open final in 2019, but hadn’t made a Grand Slam quarterfinal since. She may have been the longest shot among them to make the final.Early on, she beat two solid players, Veronika Kudermetova and Donna Vekic, who have had success on grass. After that she thought she might be able to have some success, but still, the final?“It’s really crazy this is happening,” she said. “But I think anything can happen in tennis.” More

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      Marketa Vondrousova Ends Elina Svitolina’s Wimbledon Run

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      Vondrousova beat Svitolina, the Ukrainian tennis star who had won the hearts of fans, in straight sets to advance to the women’s singles final.Elina Svitolina’s storybook run at Wimbledon came to an agonizing end on Thursday as she lost her semifinal match against Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic in straight sets.Svitolina, a new mother from Ukraine who has become a symbol of defiance since the Russian invasion in February 2022 — especially so during her runs at the French Open and Wimbledon — fell to Vondrousova, 6-3, 6-3, on an error-filled afternoon under the roof on Centre Court.For 10 days, Svitolina, who needed a wild card to get into the tournament, had played tennis with a combination of freedom and defiance that thrilled the British crowd, especially during her win over 19th-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the fourth round, when she prevailed in a final set tiebreaker after Azarenka appeared to have the match all but won. Two days later, Svitolina toppled Iga Swiatek of Poland, the world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion, in another tense and emotional three-set triumph.She spoke of how the war and being a new mother had changed her and her approach to tennis, even making her better because she had a new perspective on the sport.“I don’t take difficult situations as like a disaster,” she said. “There are worse things in life. I’m just more calmer.”But then she ran into Vondrousova, a talented and tricky left-handed player who may not have anything close to the résumé of Swiatek and Azarenka — or Sofia Kenin or Venus Williams, two of Svitolina’s other victims at this tournament — but she played as if she did.Vondrousova, who was a ranked No. 1 in the world as a junior and reached the French Open final in 2019, is developing a habit of playing the spoiler. At the Tokyo Olympics, she eliminated Naomi Osaka of Japan, the national hero and international star who had lit the Olympic torch at the opening ceremony, and went on to win a silver medal.Against Svitolina, she displayed every bit of the skill that she has shown in her best matches, showing off a varied attack that includes rolling forehands, drop shots and a penchant for going to the net to finish points at every opportunity. Being left-handed also helps. It forces opponents to adjust to different spins than they normally face and to switch the direction of their attack if they want to get the ball onto her backhand.She had plenty of help from Svitolina, who during the first hour of the match looked as if she had lost the ethereal feel for the ball that had characterized her play throughout so much of the tournament. Swiatek has spoken about how this version of Svitolina, who spent so much of her maternity leave raising money for war relief in Ukraine, was so different.“She played with more freedom and more guts,” Swiatek said. “Sometimes she really just let go of her hand and she played really, really fast.”That version of Svitolina appeared only briefly. In the second set, down a set and 4-0, she broke Vondrousova’s serve twice to gain a chance to even the set.The crowd, which had wanted so badly to help swing the match in her favor, came alive as Svitolina let out a scream and a fist pump and skipped toward her chair for the changeover. But as soon as she seized the momentum, she gave it right back. More

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      Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and the Power of Vulnerability

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      Alcaraz and Medvedev rarely shy away from discussing their frailties, reflecting a shift in tennis culture. Now, they’ll face off in a Wimbledon semifinal.Carlos Alcaraz is nearly always a killer on the court, suffocating opponents with relentless aggressiveness.He did it once more on Wednesday, beating his childhood rival, Holger Rune of Denmark, in straight sets to land a spot in a Wimbledon semifinal for the first time. Alcaraz brims with confidence and never hesitates to answer when asked about his goal.“To win the tournament,” he said more than a week ago.So it always comes as a surprise when, sometimes in the next sentence, Alcaraz, the 20-year-old Spanish star, reveals one of his insecurities. Perhaps it’s his lack of experience on grass courts, or his fear of Wimbledon’s hallowed Centre Court, or even the stress-induced panic that, combined with exhaustion, caused his entire body to cramp during the French Open semifinal last month against Novak Djokovic.“I was really, really nervous,” he said of his emotions before his 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Rune.So maybe it’s fitting then that his opponent Friday will be Daniil Medvedev, another player who, though he is third in the world and has been ranked No. 1, has no problem seeing himself as the goof who has crashed the party at the top of elite tennis.For a long while in his five-set quarterfinal against the American Chris Eubanks, the suddenly hot, sixth-year overnight sensation, things were not going well for Medvedev. At one moment, a ball kid bounced a ball over to him. He dropped it onto his foot, and the ball rolled away.“Nice job,” he said to himself out loud, as he fetched it.Such is the essence of Medvedev, who won the match.“When I go on the court, I always try to be myself,” Medvedev, a 27-year-old Russian, said early in the tournament. “If you tell the truth, it’s easier.”Before this year, Daniil Medvedev’s best result at Wimbledon was a fourth-round appearance in 2021. He beat Alcaraz on his way there.Glyn Kirk/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesTennis and sports psychology have come a long way. Not so long ago, the idea of admitting to nerves or weakness was seen as a surefire recipe for defeat. In recent years, sports psychologists and wiser veterans have been encouraging their clients and protégés to understand the value of embracing their frailties.“So many of us, and especially athletes, wear this mask, like it’s a piece of armor,” said Ben Crowe, who spent years working with the former world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, who retired last year at 25. “We think it makes us safe. But we need vulnerability.”Billie Jean King, one of tennis’s greats and a trailblazer for equal rights, chimed in on the subject just before Wimbledon, discussing how concerned she had become over watching so many players struggle with their mental health because they try to achieve the impossible.“Boys are taught they always have to act brave, and girls are taught they are supposed to be perfect,” King said at a ceremony earlier this month celebrating the 50th anniversary of the WTA Tour’s founding. “Well, boys can’t always be courageous, and no one can be perfect, so I think we all ought to stop trying.”King does not have to worry about Alcaraz or Medvedev. Neither man has any problem talking about being scared or uncomfortable, or sharing whatever thoughts are running through his head, no matter the thousands of people watching in stadiums and the millions more watching on television.And neither player is the worse off for wearing insecurities on his sleeve. Among men, Alcaraz and Medvedev are the only players younger than 29 to have won a Grand Slam singles title: a reflection of how dominant Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have been during the past decade, too.Alcaraz has been wearing a bucket hat around the All England Club for much of the past two weeks, as though he is headed to an outdoor music festival with his buddies rather than playing in the world’s most important tennis tournament.“Smiling for me, as I said a few times, is the key of everything,” Alcaraz said.Alastair Grant/Associated Press“Lucky hat,” Alcaraz said Wednesday night, as he walked into his postmatch news conference.He then proceeded to talk about the nerves he was experiencing during the tight first set with Rune on Centre Court, the stage that he said last week rattles him every time he walks onto it — especially so on Wednesday.“I couldn’t control it at all,” he said of the tension with which he played on a day when Queen Camilla watched from the Royal Box.He played tight for 65 minutes, the entirety of the first set. But when he clinched it with a backhand return winner down the line, he finally let it all out, he said, with two, full-body roars and two screams of “Vamos.”Only then, he said, did he start to enjoy the moment, and to smile, which is part of his secret sauce.“Smiling for me, as I said a few times, is the key of everything,” he said.Medvedev doesn’t smile much on the court, and for weeks now Medvedev has told everyone not to expect very much of him at this tournament. He hasn’t done very well at Wimbledon in the past. Until this year, he never exceeded the fourth round. He doesn’t have much of a liking for grass-court tennis, preferring the true, predictable bounces produced by hard courts.And there he was Wednesday afternoon on the No. 1 court against Eubanks, who was blasting serves and following them up with drop volleys that Medvedev would barely run for. As Eubanks surged to a two-sets-to-one lead, Medvedev was struggling to focus, he said, and could not understand what was happening to him.The crowd was firmly in the corner of Eubanks, a massive underdog whom the British fans backed, even though he eliminated their top-ranked player, Cameron Norrie, last week. At one point, Medvedev rolled a perfect running backhand winner past Eubanks and put his finger to his ear, asking for some cheers. When they weren’t loud enough, Medvedev shook his hands in disgust.With the score so lopsided, he thought back to five years ago, long before he broke through as one of the most promising players of his generation. He was not having all that much success then, and he had yet to achieve a lot of the things he never thought would be possible: multiple Grand Slam finals, a U.S. Open title in 2021, some stints as the world No. 1.“That’s when I was like, ‘OK, I need to try to turn this match around and to do like I did many times to win these tough, tough battles at the Grand Slam,’” he said.And that’s just what he did, earning a spot in the semifinals against Alcaraz. Still, Medvedev was not ready to say he was at all comfortable on grass.May the most vulnerable man win. More

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      The Soldiers of Wimbledon

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      Abigail Sannoh, a nurse corporal in the Royal Air Force, had tried for years to get a pair of tickets to Wimbledon for herself and her father, Mohamed Sannoh, an avid tennis fan like his daughter. But the effort proved fruitless. So, she found another way into the grounds that enables Sannoh to be at all 14 days of Wimbledon, with a prime view of Centre Court.She applied, and was accepted, to be a service steward, part of a program in which 477 members of Britain’s three military branches work at the world’s most famous tennis tournament as stewards, what Americans call ushers.“My dad got a ticket and was able to see me working here,” Sannoh said last week. “It was such a thrill for both of us.”Since 1946, when soldiers being demobilized from World War II were first given the assignment, noncommissioned officers (mostly corporals and sergeants) have been stationed at the many entrances to each section of Centre Court and Court 1, with strict orders to be helpful, chatty and look smart in their crispy uniforms. It is one of the features that makes Wimbledon such a distinct event, and there are also 250 members of the fire brigade serving as stewards on a handful of the outer courts.Chief James Brooks from the Royal Navy stands guard at Centre Court.Robert Afoh of the Army stands guard at Court No. 1.Jane Stockdale for The New York TimesTheir only weapons are a disarming charm and a polite eagerness to help both the fans and their fellow stewards. There are no snarling dogs, bulletproof vests, boots, camouflage fatigues or any of the intimidating regalia often seen at major sporting events elsewhere. Even though these sailors, soldiers and cadets are working, they are not technically on active military duty.“We’re here to make people happy,” said James Brooks, moments after snapping a photo for two fans in front of Centre Court as he walked inside to take his position.Brooks, who served three tours in Afghanistan and has been all over the world on duty, is among the most prominent of the stewards, with a role that is perhaps the closest anyone comes to policing. During changeovers, he and the other service stewards stand at firm attention on the court, looking back toward the stands, to deter any would-be court invaders.Next to him on Friday was Miriam Charlton, who has spent 37 years in the Navy. She started at a challenging time for military women, who were given little if no consideration when they had children, sometimes transferred from one base to another until they quit. She was sent to the Falklands for six months from 1994 to 1995 after having two children, and was allowed only one phone call a week for three minutes.The closest form of policing the stewards have is deterring any fans who would run onto the court during breaks in play.She stuck with the military and attitudes changed enough that she was asked to form a small parental support unit to help parents in the navy. Charlton said that The Navy now retains over 90 percent of women after they have children, as opposed to 52 percent when she started the program seven years ago. She received an M.B.E. distinction (Member of the Order of the British Empire) from Princess Anne for her work.To be honored like that is fine, but getting to watch Wimbledon up close on Centre Court for 14 straight days?“It doesn’t get any better,” she said. “It’s up there among the top moments of my career.”Each year, about 1,000 members of the military apply for the coveted positions and 40 percent of the stewards are new each year.“I don’t want it to be a club where some people feel they can never get a chance to do it,” said Lt. Cdr. Chris Boucher, the officer in charge of all the stewards. “No one has a special right to be here.”There is no rank at Wimbledon, either, said Boucher, whose job in the Navy is to mobilize personnel for everything from the queen’s funeral to tactical operations around the globe. The stewards address one another with first names in an informal, collegial and respectful atmosphere, other than a few rare instances over the years.“There is no rank unless there needs to be,” he said.The other very visible military stewards, especially on television, are the three stationed in the Royal Box, which is run entirely by the service stewards. They all dress immaculately, as if presenting for inspection. There isn’t one, but it is almost unheard-of for anyone to be seen with spaghetti sauce or coffee stains on their bright white, blue or khaki shirts.A member of the Army guards the Royal Box.A member of the Royal Marines stands guard during the match between Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas.“Millions of eyes are on you,” Boucher said. “Don’t be that person.”Katie Patterson, a corporal in the Royal Air Force police, was stationed at Gangway 6 on Court No. 1 on Sunday, helping spectators find seats and politely asking loud fans in the corridor for “a bit of hush.” Spectators love asking about her R.A.F. duties and make photo requests.One small girl was particularly smitten, so Patterson gave her rank slide (the insignia on her shoulder indicating her rank) to the girl, who was overjoyed. Patterson had a chance to be smitten, too, when Nick Grimshaw, a popular television and radio personality, was waiting in line at Gangway 6. They chatted for several minutes and, like many fans, he wanted to know about her life in the air force.George Fynn Carr of the Navy was working Gangway 6 with Patterson in one of many interservice partnerships that are forged during the tournament. Pairs take turns in their positions, one at the base of the stairs helping people in line, and another at the top, who is able to show fans their seats and then watch the action. They should also be attuned to any lost or unruly fans, or any situation requiring attention.A huge tennis fan, Carr emigrated from Ghana 14 years ago and joined the Navy after attaining British citizenship. Much of his time at Wimbledon is spent posing for photographs in his white and navy blue uniform and hat, and answering questions about all his deployments — Crete, Guam, Kenya, the mainland United States.“Being here is a privilege, even though we are working,” said Suen Simpson, a staff sergeant in the Army.“On a ship, you are on a metal container on the ocean and you have to be a team,” Carr said. “It is the same here at Wimbledon.”As Carr spoke, an Army noncommissioned officer from a different gangway informed him that “two blokes” were hopping over rows of seating, clearly without tickets. Carr immediately left to investigate.To join this elite force, stewards must use their leave, which eats up two weeks of vacation time. But one of the rewards comes on the first Saturday of the tournament each year, when an announcement is made recognizing their contributions. Fans rise to their feet with a sustained ovation in an emotional display of appreciation.“Being here is a privilege, even though we are working,” said Suen Simpson, a staff sergeant in the Army, who would not reveal the locations of her deployments. For these two weeks, though, she is stationed at Gangway 22 on Court No. 1 at one of the biggest sporting events in the world.“It’s a blessing I was selected,” she said. More

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      Elina Svitolina Aims for a Wimbledon Singles Final Against Jabeur or Sabalenka

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      Svitolina, the Ukrainian player who has captivated Wimbledon fans, beat No. 1 Iga Swiatek and will play Marketa Vondrousova in a semifinal match Thursday.Ons Jabeur still cannot bring herself to watch last year’s Wimbledon final. Her loss to Elena Rybakina on Centre Court is still too raw, too depressing to offset any tactical value that Jabeur might squeeze out of relieving it all over again.But, she said with a smile, “I can watch today’s match.”Indeed, that will make great binge viewing for Jabeur, who was able to exact a measure of revenge from the third-seeded Rybakina, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1, in a quarterfinal on Centre Court Wednesday.She received no trophy for it, but it set up another Wimbledon rematch — this one against No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Jabeur in the quarterfinal stage two years ago in straight sets. But much has changed since then, for both women.On the other side of the draw, Elina Svitolina, a wild-card entrant, will play the unseeded, but highly talented, Marketa Vondrousova for the other chance at the final.Svitolina and Jabeur are the clear audience favorites at Wimbledon. Jabeur, who is from Tunisia, is adored for her warm, engaging personality and for her trailblazing efforts as the first woman from Africa and the first from an Arabic-speaking country to reach a Grand Slam tournament final. She also reached the U.S. Open final later last summer.Svitolina, who beat No. 1 Iga Swiatek in their quarterfinal on Tuesday, has captivated fans around the world for her unflagging efforts to support and play on behalf of her native Ukraine. She also had a baby in October. Even Svitolina’s opponents cannot suppress their admiration for the outspoken Svitolina, who only returned to the tour in April, but has slashed her way through the draw to reach the final four.“She’s a superwoman,” Vondrousova said.Jabeur and Sabalenka together represent the power side of the draw, where, by chance, most of the better grass court players were assembled after the drawing. Rybakina, last year’s champion, said she thought the winner of Thursday’s duel between Sabalenka and Jabeur would eventually take home the trophy, and many would agree. Jabeur, in a moment of candid self-confidence, revealed she was one of them.Aryna Sabalenka defeated Madison Keys in a quarterfinal on Wednesday.Glyn Kirk/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images“I do believe our part is stronger than the other part,” Jabeur said. “But every Grand Slam final is a final, and you can change a lot of things.”It was hardly an affront to Svitolina and Vondrousova, but sometimes players seize upon the most innocuous slights to fuel an angry motivation. Jo Durie, the British former player and now a coach and broadcaster, said that in 1983, at the peak of Martina Navratilova’s power, she had once dared to declare publicly that she had a chance to beat the great champion.Durie made the comment when their Australian Open quarterfinal had been suspended by rain at one set apiece.“Martina was livid,” Durie recalled on Wednesday. “The next day she said to the press, ‘How dare Jo-Jo say that?’ We all have an ego in this sport, and we all have to use it at some point.”Durie said her words had been slightly distorted in news reports the following day. But sometimes the smallest things can be used to seek an advantage, and by Saturday’s final, Svitolina or Vondrousova may seek to uphold the honor of her side of the draw, should she play Jabeur.As popular as Svitolina has become, Durie warned that Vondrousova, the least known player still alive in the draw, could not be overlooked.After Vondrousova became a French Open finalist in 2019, her career was subsequently affected by injuries. But as a well-rounded left-handed player, she can befuddle opponents with her serve and a variety of shots, from soft and dicey to overpowering.“Wow, is she talented,” Durie said.Could this then be the stage where Svitolina’s captivating run comes to an end? Or, if she wins, will she end up facing Sabalenka, a powerful Belarusian player whose nationality makes her an enemy of sorts to Svitolina?Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 with Belarus’s logistical support, Svitolina has helped raise money for relief efforts in Ukraine and has declared that every match she plays is on behalf of her country. She has also said she will not shake hands with any players from Russia or Belarus, even if she likes them personally.Elina Svitolina reached a semifinal by upsetting No. 1 Iga Swiatek.Sebastien Bozon/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesThe matter surfaced in the fourth round when Svitolina defeated Victoria Azarenka, who is from Belarus. Azarenka and Svitolina are compatible personally, and Azarenka spoke out against the invasion when it began. Even though there was no handshake after that match, Azarenka gave Svitolina a thumbs-up salute. But fans booed Azarenka off the court — and it stunned her. Some seemingly booed because they misunderstood, blaming Azarenka for the snub. Others perhaps did so because of Azarenka’s nationality.“I think people also need to know what’s going on and why there is no handshake between Ukrainians, Russian and Belarusian players,” Sabalenka said after she had beaten Madison Keys, 6-2, 6-4, on Wednesday. “I really hope that nobody else will face this reaction from the crowd.”More pressing, of course, is her meeting with Jabeur in their power semifinal. Sabalenka understands that Jabeur, while known for her slices, her drop shots and her off-speed game, can also unload from the baseline when necessary. Sabalenka called Jabeur’s game “tricky” and noted that her opponent’s goal, to become the first Arab and African woman to win a Grand Slam event, was providing her with enhanced motivation.But Jabeur has other forces driving her, too, similar to what spurred her on Wednesday against Rybakina. Jabeur did not watch their encounter from last year, but walking onto the court felt eerily similar. So to shake things up, she took the chair on the other side from the one she had sat in last year.In a similar way, she is now out to erase her quarterfinal loss to Sabalenka here in 2021.“I’m going to prepare and take my revenge from two years ago,” Jabeur said, again with a smile. More