Wimbledon 2022, Semi Finals, Friday, 08/07/2022
London holds its breath: A Brit will be in the Wimbledon semi-finals on Friday afternoon! As much as it had been wished for, it was even less expected. Cameron Norrie can now make a whole nation proud.
If only he didn’t meet the 20-time Grand Slam winner, who was the absolute top favourite for the tournament from the start.
If there’s one thing you can be sure of at Wimbledon, it’s this: Novak Djokovic will finish at least in the top four. Even before the tournament, the experts had hardly any serious contenders in their sights.
In view of the fact that Djokovic was seen so clearly in front, he gave up quite a few sets, which is not usually the case with him. The best example was in the quarter-final against Jannik Sinner.
The world number 3 was already trailing 0:2, 5-7, 2-6. Then, however, exactly what we know from him happened. He pulled himself together, took the Italian to task and in no time at all made it 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
The Serb could rely on his service in particular, winning 82% of his first serve points. How did Djokovic lose his composure for a moment? He is still the best, a 0:2 does not mean the end.
Sinner was the first really strong opponent at Wimbledon. Before that, Djokovic had won 3:1 against Tim van Rihthoven and Soon-woo Kwon. There were straight wins against Thanasi Kokkinakis and Miomir Kecmanovic, however.
The Serb could rely on his service in particular, winning 82% of his first serve points. How did Djokovic lose his composure for a moment? He is still the best, a 0:2 does not mean the end.
Sinner was the first really strong opponent at Wimbledon. Before that, Djokovic had won 3:1 against Tim van Rihthoven and Soon-woo Kwon. There were straight wins against Thanasi Kokkinakis and Miomir Kecmanovic, however.
Despite dropping a few sets, there was never a feeling that the three-time defending champion from London was really in serious trouble. The bookies obviously see it the same way, because the odds for Friday are clear.
No wonder, because the Brit doesn’t know at all what a semi-final in a Grand Slam feels like. It will be an absolute first for him, and that too in front of his own fans in the English capital.
As impressive as his victories are, Norrie has to be credited with some luck in finding the right branch of the tournament. Tommy Paul, seeded 30th in London, was the toughest opponent.
The Briton had defeated him, Steve Johnson and Pablo Andujar outright, but against Jaume Munar in round 2 he needed the full five sets. The audience saw a very intense exchange of blows in the quarter-final against David Goffin.
It went back and forth, after a 3-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, the fifth set had to decide. It did, and in favour of the Brit. He snatched the biggest win of his career 7-5.
Norrie is serving nowhere near as strongly as Djokovic, should have big problems on Friday. Hopefully it won’t be as clear cut as half a year ago when both met at the ATP Finals.
6-1, 6-2, here Norrie was left only with the role of the unfortunate well-wisher. The left-hander is a fighter, never gives up a game. He is hoping for the support of the crowd to somehow make the impossible possible.
How can you stop Novak Djokovic and why should Cameron Norrie succeed? Against Jannik Sinner, the Serb went out quite unfocused, but came back all the stronger. Norrie, a debutant in the semi-finals, is much weaker than Sinner.
The Brit has the support of the fans, but his opponents so far have not been too difficult.
The favourite decides for himself how long the matches last. Sinner bought him a good fight at the beginning, so I can’t imagine the champion letting that happen a second time. Therefore my tip is:
Djokovic beats Norrie straight up!
