Wimbledon 2024 LIVE: Tennis scores and updates from men’s semi-finals

For a while, this was the calm after the storm. After Jasmine Paolini and Donna Vekic ran themselves into the ground in Wimbledon’s longest-ever women’s semi-final, Elena Rybakina looked poised to navigate hers with only the occasional hint of resistance. While Paolini needed two hours and 51 minutes to fight back, reduce Vekic to tears, and position herself on the cusp of glory, Rybakina seemed likely to need about 60 minutes to extinguish Barbora Krejcikova’s dream. And after the Centre Court crowd gorged itself on the melodrama of the first semi-final, it appeared content with watching this encore politely but sleepily.

But those were assumptions, and as this match wore on, it became clear that assuming was a dangerous game.

As a 57^th and final unforced error sprung off Donna Vekic’s forehand and into the tramline, Jasmine Paolini ran towards her player box in complete and utter euphoria. This year’s breakthrough star on the tennis tour – that goes for men and women – has reached a second Grand Slam final in a matter of weeks. At the end of this titanic battle, she blew a kiss to her corner and then consoled her heartbroken opponent.

As the old adage goes, it felt cruel that somebody had to lose. Both Vekic and Paolini were contesting their first semi-final at Wimbledon and their desperation to reach Saturday’s showpiece was writ large throughout this absorbing battle of wills. In the end, only a first-to-10 final-set tie-break could separate them – and even then, there was barely a flip of a coin between them. Match of the tournament? Possibly so.

It was an incredible day in the women’s semi-finals yesterday, as both matches went to three sets for the first time in 20 years. Jasmine Paolini will face Barbora Krejcikova in Saturday’s final, in a match that will produce a new Wimbledon champion and the eighth different winner in eight years.

The Italian has played Djokovic six times, winning just once and was beaten from two sets to one  in the French Open third round last month.

Djokovic is playing in a record-extending 49th grand slam final and the winner will take on either Carlos Alcaraz or Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final.

The Spaniard defeated Medvedev in straight sets in last year’s semi-finals before going on to beat Novak Djokovic in an epic men’s final.

It was a one-sided contest as Alcaraz ruthlessly exploited Medvedev’s deep return position, but the fifth seed was impressive in beating Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.

“He was a little bit on fire. You could see it by the score,” Medvedev said about his opponent. “That’s where it’s tough to play against him because you know whatever shot you hit, he can hit a winner.”

Alcaraz faces fifth seed Daniil Medvedev as the 21-year-old Spaniard continues his title defence. The reigning champion defeated Medvedev in straight-sets at this stage last year in a one-sided semi-final, but the Russian was in impressive form in stunning World No 1 Jannik Sinner in the previous round.

Elsewhere, Britain’s Alfie Hewitt will aim to reach the men’s wheelchair singles final against third seed Gustavo Fernandez, with Hewitt then in action alongside Gordon Reid in the men’s wheelchair doubles semi-final against Dutch pair Tom Egberin and Maikel Scheffers.