2019 Wimbledon Men’s SF Open Thread: Djokovic v RBA, Federer v Nadal
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The Big 3 return to the semifinals for a second straight Grand Slam, second time in Wimbledon history after 2007. Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal in that 2007 final, today they meet in a Wimbledon semifinal for a first time.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic seeks his 6th Wimbledon final. The Serb has won his last 12 matches at Wimbledon but has lost his last two to Roberto Bautista Agut, who is playing his first Grand Slam semifinal.
Federer or Nadal will be in the Wimbledon final on Sunday.
ITF NOTES
* Should Novak Djokovic defeat Roberto Bautista Agut today, he will guarantee a showdown between 2 members of the ‘Big 3’ (comprising of Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal) in the final on Sunday. Should that happen, it would be the 22nd occasion that a Grand Slam final has been contested by 2 of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal. It would also be the 7th time it has happened at Wimbledon and the first since Djokovic defeated Federer in the 2015 final. Djokovic has played Federer in 4 Grand Slam finals, with Djokovic leading 3-1, and has played Nadal in 8 Grand Slam finals, with the pair tied at 4-4.
NO. 1 NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SRB) v NO. 23 ROBERTO BAUTISTA AGUT (ESP)
Head-to-head: Djokovic leads 7-3
* An 11th meeting for the pair, and their 4th at a Grand Slam, but their first at Wimbledon or on grass. Djokovic has won all 3 of their previous meetings at the Grand Slams in 4 sets, most recently in the 3rd round at Roland Garros last year. The pair are meeting for the 3rd time this year, with Bautista Agut having won both their meetings in 2019 – in the semifinals at Doha, where he went on to win the title, and in the 3rd round at Miami-1000.
NO. 2 ROGER FEDERER (SUI) v NO. 3 RAFAEL NADAL (ESP)
Head-to-head: Nadal leads 24-15
* Nadal and Federer meet for the 40th time at Tour-level and for the 14th time at a Grand Slam. They first met at AMS Miami more than 15 years ago, and first met at a Grand Slam in the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2005. Nadal leads both the overall head-to-head and the head-to-head at the Grand Slams 10-3. It is the pair’s 5th meeting in a Grand Slam semifinal. Nadal has won all 4 of their previous Grand Slam semifinals – at Roland Garros in 2005 and this year, and at the Australian Open in 2012 and 2014. They have contested a total of 10 previous semifinals at Tour-level overall, with Nadal leading the head-to-head in their Tour-level semifinal meetings 7-3.
FRIDAY WIMBLEDON SCHEDULE (Singles)
CENTRE COURT – 1:00PM
1. Novak Djokovic v Roberto Bautista Agut
2. Rafael Nadal v Roger Federer
WEATHER.COM FORECAST
Partly cloudy. High 76F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
BET-AT-HOME.COM ODDS
Novak Djokovic 1.07 v Roberto Bautista Agut 7.58
Rafael Nadal 1.68 v Roger Federer 2.11
U.S. TV SCHEDULE
ESPN has live coverage starting at 8am ET.
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