Medvedev Stops Eubanks, Alcaraz Serves Notice To Rune In Wimbledon QFs

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz topped fellow 20-year-old Holger Rune 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-4 to make his third straight Grand Slam semifinal and first at Wimbledon.

“It’s amazing for me,” said Alcaraz, the youngest semifinalist at Wimbledon since Novak Djokovic was the same age in 2007. “It’s a dream since I start playing tennis, making good results here in Wimbledon, such a great tournament. I didn’t expect to play such a great level on this surface. For me, it’s crazy.

“It was tough. At the beginning I was really, really nervous playing the quarter-final here in Wimbledon but I’m going say even more: playing against Rune, someone that is the same age as me, someone that is playing at a great level, it was tough to play with him. But I said before, once you get on court, there are no friends. You have to be focused on yourself and I think I did great in that part.”

Alcaraz, who has won 17 of his last 18 matches in Slams, held off Rune in a tight first set, saving a break point in his first service game. But that was the last time the Dane would get a look.

Alcaraz still had to battle Rune who wouldn’t get broken either in the first. At 3-all in breaker, Alcaraz got a double fault and ran off the the next three points to take the first.

Alcaraz then wore Rune down and wouldn’t face another break point.

“I think I’ve learned that no matter what the circumstances, I have to commit full to my game. I don’t think I did 100% today,” Rune said. “I let him take advantage of I think too many points. When he has the chance to take advantage, he’s amazing.”

On Court 1, Daniil Medvedev rallied past Christopher Eubanks 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-1 to reach his first Wimbledon semifinal in just under three hours.

After dropping the first, Eubanks got into high gear ripping the ball from the backcourt, even hitting winners on the backhand. Medvedev was just a spectator as Eubanks played flawlessly.

In the fourth, Medvedev began to make inroads on the Eubanks serve, but just couldn’t break it. But the Russian was spotless on his serve and in the breaker that got him to a fifth. And in the decider, Medvedev would get the upper hand for good, breaking the 27-year-old twice.

“After the opening set, I didn’t want the match to go to five,” Medvedev said. “After the third set I certainly wanted to go to five. There was a moment in the match where I completely lost the game itself. I started to sink, make a lot of mistakes.

“But in the third I built something and it helped me just be there in the fourth. From the tie-break I played amazing and I’m really happy about it.”

The 27-year-old Eubanks was in qualifying a year ago, contemplating other employment. Now he’ll be knocking on the door of the Top 30.

“This has changed how I see my career,” said Eubanks . “I believe more in my ability to contend with the best players in the world. I’ve seen how I can frustrate and disrupt them. I want to continue this feeling.

“I’m more than OK with my effort today. It was one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever experienced. The crowd behind me was very cool and made it very memorable. It just didn’t go my way. Daniil raised his level. That’s why he is who he is. There’s only one winner. That’s tennis.”

Alcaraz and Medvedev have split their two previous meetings with the Spaniard winning in the Indian Wells final and Medvedev at Wimbledon in 2021.

“It’s interesting to play someone like Carlos. He is an amazing, amazing player. What he continues to do is just unbelievable. He doesn’t stop. I don’t think he will,” Medvedev said. “But I’ve played a lot of great players in my career. I managed to win many times. So I’m going to try to do my best. If I show my best, I’ll have my chances.”

The men’s semifinals will take place on Friday.

“He’s playing great here on grass,” Alcaraz said of Medvedev. “He has had a great, great year as well. I lost the first match we played here on grass. So I have to learn about it.

“He’s a really complete player. I think Rublev said a few times, he’s an octopus. He’s an amazing athlete.”