Wimbledon 2024: Sinner v Medvedev, Vekic beats Sun in quarter-finals – live | Wimbledon 2024

So can Medvedev see out this set after losing the first in a tie break? It starts slightly nervously with a serve into the net but the flow of the rally soon begins. There is a long back and forth but eventually Sinner slams the ball into the net. The Italian is really battling though and a fantastic forehand winner sees him level the game but two can play at that as Medevdev immediately responds. Sinner can’t return a serve and Medvedev has two set points, he takes the first with an ace. We’re now a set a piece.

On court 1 we now wait for the men’s defending champion Carlos Alcaraz who will compete against the American Tommy Paul. We aren’t short of absolute corkers today.

Medvedev is leading the second set against Sinner 5-3 and so the Italian must hold here to remain in the set. A lovely forehand winner after sliding along the grass begins that hold but then a wry shot is hugely wide to allow Medvedev into the game. An ace puts Sinner 30-15 up and two more points in quick succession sees him hold, Medvedev will serve for the second set.

Vekic speaks after the match: “It was a really tough match, she played unbelievable. She really pushed me to my limits. I felt like I was dying out there the first two sets, I just kept going and hoping to have a chance and it came in the end.”

The crowd erupts in applause as she becomes slightly emotional when talking about her return from injuries: “I have a box of people over there and without them I wouldn’t be here”

In Sinner v Medvedev, the Italian has weathered a storm as Medvedev had break point at 40-15 but Sinner fought back to hold the game. Sinner leads that match 7-6, 3-4.

Vekic puts a hand to her mouth, she looks completely stunned. She applauds the crowd and he box erupts. Such an emotional moment.

Donna Vekic into first Wimbledon semi-final

Sun 7-5, 4-6, 1-5 Vekic* (*denotes next server)

Vekic is just four points away from reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final but it is Sun who takes the first point. She follows it up with an ace, amazing composure from the qualifier here. Vekic whacks the net on a return and Sun could hold for the first time in this final set. And she does it, Vekic will have to serve for the match.

Sun* 7-5, 4-6, 0-5 Vekic (*denotes next server)

There is so much pressure on qualifier Sun to stay in this game now, Vekic is really running away with this final set. Vekic starts this game well, going 15-0 up. Sun thinks she has hit a great shot but it hits the top of the net but Sun gets some daylight in this game with a double fault from Vekic. The Croatian falters slightly with Sun getting to 40-30 down but Vekic sees out the game to hold.

In Sinner v Medvedev, the match continues to be a close one but Medvedev is leading the second set 4-2.

Sun 7-5, 4-6, 0-4 Vekic* (*denotes next server)

The two players exchange points to be 15-15 but Vekic then hits a great back hand winner from a Sun drop shot. Vekic challenges a call but loses, the hawkeye showing the ball clearly in to see it 30-30 but she responds to send it to break point. Will she get a double break in this final set? She does! Sun goes too long.

Thank you Daniel, I take over just as Vekic holds to lead the third set 3-0. It is quite the comeback after losing the first set 7-5. I’ll concentrate on that match for now with a sprinkling of Sinner v Medevdev too.

Righto, my watch is over; I’ll be back later on, but for now, here’s Sarah Rendell to chill with you as these matches intensify.

We see a graphic which shows us that Vekic is hitting the ball deeper now, and perhaps that’s making the difference, giving Sun less time and space to unload the suitcase when hitting forehands. And after she holds for 1-0 in the third, she quickly makes 0-40; big moments coming up now, and I’m afraid Sun doubles. Vekic leads 5-7 6-4 2-0 and it feels like momentum has definitively switched, but the Croatian has been jumpy as hell today, so I’d not assume she’ll stay composed with the finish line hoving into view. Meantime, Medvedev holds for 6-7 3-1, and looks good to level the match; for now, at least, he’s the better, more dominant player from the back.

Hold tight Daniil Medvedev! He might’ve sulked after jiggering himself in that breaker, but instead he raises two break points with a forehand down the line, the first of the match for either player, and a forehand error from Sinner means he needs only one! Sinner leads 7-6 1-2.

Outside, by the way, it’s absolutely clattering down. But not under the roofs, and on Centre, our boys have exchanged a hold apiece at the start of set two so Sinner leads 7-6 1-1.

Better from Vekic, who smokes a backhand winner from the back to make 30-all, and when Sun goes long on the backhand, she must defend a second set point … with a second serve. But she’s absolutely nails and swings a nasty serve out wide; Vekic, though, does well to find a telling return, and then out of nowhere, with delectable disguise, she slices a drop that’s far, far too good and well worth the 6-4 set it cements. So we’ve got ourselves a decider and might that turn of events – botching a chance to level the match via hold then redeeming it with a break and brilliant shot – be enough to get Vekic playing as she usually does? I’m sure, though, that Sun will have some thoughts on the topic – she went a little defensive at the end there, while her opponent upped the aggression – and I can’t wait to see how this one shakes out.

Which he can’t take, an 84mph second serve allowing Medvedev to take control of the rally with a backhand while Sinner skids off to the side; “Have you ever seen a slide like that on grass?” asks our commentator. Er, yes. But we digress: down 7-8, Medvedev slings over a second serve so dreadful I can barely describe it, the ball looping up and over the service box. So a set of fantastic quality ends in a shower of errors and a 7-6 lead for the world number one, while on No 1 Sun has broken back for 7-5 4-5, Vekic unable to serve out. Given the way she’s been playing and acting, I worry for her ability to forget that and move on.

The closeness of these contests is making them extremely nervy. On No 1, Vekic starts her attempt to serve out with a double, then Sun misses an overhead and we wind up at 30-all, while Sinner sends down a double which means at 6-5, Medvedev has a chance to secure the set on serve. But he swipes a forehand wide, while Sun lands a return on to the chalk for deuce – throughout this tournament, she’s played the big rallies superbly … and another forehand error means Sinner now has a point on serve to seal the first set at 7-6.

Sinner goes wide on the forehand, handing over the first mini-break, the Medvedev somehow sticks in a brutal rally, cementing the advantage when his opponent can’t manage to return a drop. No matter: Sinner quickly restores parity and we wind up at 4-4 while, on No 1, Vekic finally gets her break at 5-7 3-5 having upped her intensity, and she’ll now serve for the second set.

“Have you ever noticed how the weather in Britain is unreliable, and British people always talk about the weather? I know!”

A tremendous forehand down the line earns Medvedev 0-15, though Sinner eschews a few earlier opportunities to attack … for all the difference it makes. It’s soon 40-15, and even though the Russian closes thanks largely to a net-cord, a monstrous first serve makes it 6-6 and a breaker – that I’ve not a clue who’s going to win. Generally I’d go with the bigger server but it’s hard to split them in that department and both are also consistent; I just don’t know. Back on No 1, meantime, a love hold apiece means Sun leads 7-5 3-3.

Vekic holds for 5-7 2-1 but sitting in her seat at change of ends, she doesnae look happy. I wonder if Pam Shriver, one of her coaches, might intervene – I know it’s more complex than I’m about to imply, but if she just decided to enjoy herself out there, I think she might play better. Meantime, Sun makes 2-2 easily enough and Medvedev holds to 30 for 6-5. Sinner must now serve to stay in the first set for the second time.

There’s a real difference in the demeanour of our women. Sun is largely inscrutable, treating every point the same, whereas Vekic is constantly at herself, perhaps desperate not to let this opportunity forsake her. They both hold at the start of set two so Sun leads 7-5 1-1, while Medvedev, serving superbly so far, holds for 5-4. Increasingly, it looks like this set will be decided on a breaker-point here and there.

On Centre, the players are playing closer to their best but each is struggling to make an impression on the other’s serve. With Medvedev up 4-3, we’ve yet to have a break point and I’d not be surprised if he was happy with that – if he can take each set to a breaker, I’m sure he’d consider that a result.

Back on Centre, Sinner slams down an ace that levels us up at 3-3. Vekic, meanwhile, looks frenetic, making 15-30 but chuntering in the process, and when Sun mashes a backhand winner cross-court, she’s unlikely to feel any better about life. But Vekic thrashes away from the back and a netted slice raises break-back point … so Sun rains down a T-serve, and another service-winner gives her set point … converted with a drop! Who saw that coming?! Lulu Sun takes the first 7-5, and the qualifier is looking good to reach the semi-finals while Vekic is struggling to assimilate and settle into the enormity of the moment.

Now then. Sun raises 15-40 without having to do much, errors from Vekic presenting her with two break points. The first, though, disappears when a backhand falls fractionally long … but the second is seized when, on the backhand line, Vekic looks to hammer cross-court on the forehand, almost a table-tennis shot. And she goes long so, at 6-5, Sun will soon serve for the first set. In the little bit of play we’ve had since she gave up that 0-30, she’s been so poor we can only wonder if the disappointment is lingering.

On Centre, we’re chozzing through games at quite a rate. Both players are clobbering it from the back and we’ve already enjoyed, while the players have endured, extended rallies. But so far, both look solid on serve, so Medvedev leads 3-2.

Down 0-30, Sun is under pressure, two points away from losing the first set. But she finds a service-winner, then Vekic makes a hash of returning a second serve– in the context, that was a chance – ballooning the ball somewhere towards Selhurst Park, wherever that is. And from there, though a line judge does a phenomenal job of calling in a serve that was some way long, Vekic getting it back via challenge, Sun closes out for 5-5.

Either I’m talking nonsense or Vekic has righted herself – who can say which, it’s a real head-scratcher! – because she holds to love, sticking a terrific forehand on to the sideline to seal the deal. At 5-4, Sun must now serve to stay in what’s been a strange set, largely dictated by first serves so featuring little in the way of rallies.

Sinner and Medvedev have started like they never stopped, basing brutal groundstrokes at each other; in the course of ending a 17-shot rally, Sinner disburses a colossal forehand and holds for 1-1. So Medvedev quickly makes 2-1 with one to love, while Sun confidently makes 4-4. I think she might be feeling more confident now, while Vekic seems to still be composing herself.

Medvedev, serving, challenges on the first point of the match but he’s wrong and has to go through deuce for his hold; he’s doing all he can to stay on the baseline, whereas usually, he’s miles behind. On No 1, Vekic is “under the pump” – says Barty at 30-40. Martina is unfamiliar with the phrase – she needs to watch more cricket – but break point disappears when Vekic attacks Sun’s backhand. These two look very well-matched, both with big serves and forehands, but neither is finding consistency on the latter … though, as I type, Vekic deploys huge interpretations of both to hold for 4-3.

We’re away on Centre…

I do enjoy Sun’s forehand – not only is it lefty but it’s also so joyously uncomplicated. And an inside-out beauty gives her 40-15, but a framed mishit soon means deuce; no matter, she closes out from there and we’re at 3-3.

Vekic holds easily for 3-2 and still we’ve no real sense of what might decide this match. Currently, serve is dominant – we’re not seeing enough rallies to know the key points of difference.

On Centre, Sinner and Medvedev arrive on to court. Can Medvedev find a way to assert himself from way back?

A double gives Vekic 15-30 but then Sun unfurls her forehand, controlling the longest rally of the match so far before hitting a big swing-volley putaway. Vekic, though, finds a decent backhand return and when Sun nets, she bellows her approval. The break point is quickly extinguished via big serve, though, but a few advantages are spurned by Sun before a poor drop invites Vekic in and she whacks a forehand to raise break point. A fine point, though, is settled by Sun, and we go back and fourth between deuce and advantage, intensity and tension rising. The match now feels like it’s properly under way, both players loose, and Sun uncorking another venomous forehand that bounces low and underneath Vekic’s racket. So we’re now on our 10th deuce, three break-points having been confiscated, and soon after Sun secures a monumental hold with an ace down the T. We’re level at 2-2 in the first and already this feels intense.

Vekic holds to love for a 2-1 lead and the match is still to settle. The serving is decent, but we’ve not seen very much of anything else; Sun hasn’t been able to get her forehand into the match.

Sun goes down 0-15 when a backhand falls fractionally wide; she quickly redeems the situation with an ace and a service-winner. There’s a fist-pump when she makes 40-15 and when Vekic sends a return long, we have 1-1. So far, neither player has managed to keep the ball in play on return long enough for us to have an idea of how the rallies might go.

Vekic goes long on the forehand to cede 15-30, but Sun can’t control her next return. From there, the Croatian holds, and in comms they discuss her difficulty in realising her potential – she made her first final at 16, and her first title at 18. “It’s about understanding that no one can touch you when you’re on the court,” says Ash Barty. “It’s a sanctuary.”

We’re ready to go and … play. Vekic to serve.

Vekic and Sun arrive on No 1 Court. What a moment for both of them.

Otherwise, it’s hard to see how Alcaraz loses, but he’s been a little erratic lately and Paul has never played better. There’s a feeling watching the best players that, even when off it, they’ll find a way to do the necessary, but if Paul’s serve and forehand are working, and if he can keep Alcaraz guessing with his length, spins and angles, he’s a chance.

As for our second round of matches, the clash between the exuberance of Jasmine Paolini and the steel of Emma Navarro looks exceedingly enticing. I couldn’t be more impressed with how Navarro has played in this tournament – she’s battered both Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff – and given all her best Slam performances have come in the past year, it seems fair to posit sh’es hitting a stride.

The same, though is so of Paolini, but if you’re asking, I’m backing Navarro’s composure and consistency over her unpredictability. But there’s a strong chance I’m wrong.

What I especially enjoy about Sun is how hard she hits it, but how deft her touch is. Listening to her coach, he sounds genuinely shocked he found someone so good, and the sense is she’s got a fair bit of catching up she can do having not had the coaching and facilities others had in their youth.

Email! “Such an exciting day as a New Zealand tennis fan,” writes Nick Fenton. “Lulu Sun was born in Te Anau – a town of about 2,500 people (1/5th of the capacity of Centre Court!) set in amongst the mountains of Fiordland National Park at the bottom of the South Island. Her quarter final starts at midnight NZ time, but I was pleased to see this isn’t stopping the locals from getting behind her. There is now a sign up on the drive into Te Anau that says ‘Go Lulu – Te Anau to Wimbledon!’ – and Radio New Zealand today reported that the Te Anau tennis club is holding a screening of the match, complete with midnight snacks and decorations. Vekic is obviously a wonderful player too but I’m selfishly hoping Lulu can keep us Kiwis dreaming!”

Ah, thanks for that – it’s so moving to hear about the impact sport has on people, and to understand our sportsfolk’s stories. Sun will have to play the match of her life to win, but she’s become quite adept at that over the last few weeks, having won seven in a row including qualifying. Given on Sunday, she beat Emma Raducanu on Centre Court – convincingly – we can be almost certain she won’t shrink at the enormity of the occasion.

For balance, then, a question: does Novak Djokovic possess the greatest hairline of all time?

Back to Djokovic, who they’re discussing on BBC – and there’s a general sense he overreacted – I baulked at his accusation the crowd were disrespecting him. No one with the remotest interest in tennis can possibly fail to respect the greatest male player of all time; what hurts Djokovic, I think, is that among that respect there’s not always love – especially relative to how much there is, uniformly, for Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Carlos Alcaraz.

As for Sinner v Medvedev, it’s hard to see a way the world number one loses on grass. The roof being closed, assuming it is, will help both – Sinner can hit it cleanly, while Medvedev will appreciate the sureness underfoot, sometimes unwilling to plant for fear of slipping. If he serves and returns like God, he’s got a chance, but even then the confidence, authority and composure of Sinner looks likely to be decisive because almost everything Medvedev does, he does better.

Frankly I’ve not a clue how Lulu Sun v Donna Vekic might go. Vekic is of course the favourite and if she plays at close to her best, she wins. She hits it hard, moves well, has improved over the last couple of years and as 28 knows this might be her best chance of winning a biggun.

Sun, though, is a wild card. She too gives it a hearty thwack and, though she doesn’t move as well, she has far less to lose and the advantage of surprise: no one quite knows what to expect from her.

So what of today’s matches?

Also going on:

Nor is that our only controversy. It turns out that while Taylor Fritz was coming back from a two-set deficit to beat Alexander Zverev, members of his box were, according to the German, going “over the top” in their support.

Later, Morgan Riddle, Fritz’s girlfriend, posted a video – now deleted – on her Instagram story captioned “when ur man wins 4 the girls” and during the match posted a photo – also now deleted – of the court, with the caption “cheer loud ladies”.

“His team is extremely respectful,” Zverev said. “I think his coach, his physio, also his second coach, they’re extremely respectful.

“I think there are some other people that maybe are in the box that are not maybe from the tennis world, that are not maybe from particularly watching every single match.

“They were a bit over the top.

“That’s okay. No issues. No drama. He fought back from two sets to love, so they’re obviously all excited, very pumped up, yeah.

“But no issues with Taylor. I think Taylor is a great guy. I have absolutely no issues with him.”

Fritz, meanwhile, said:

“I think he was annoyed at some people in my box just being loud, cheering for me,” the American said.

“Honestly, I can’t hear. I don’t know. Like, no big deal. He said it’s nothing towards me or anything like that.”

Fritz added: “I don’t really hear my box when I’m playing like that.

“I didn’t hear anyone being, like, extremely loud.

“He’s totally allowed to be annoyed if they were being annoying.

“That’s one of the things I asked him at the net, Who was it? Yeah, I mean, again, it’s not a big thing. It’s all good.”

I was blogging this match, and I must say I didn’t appraise anything untoward. There are phonic similarities between Ruuuuuune and booooo, it’s true, but Ruuuuune seems like a fairly obvious way to support a player called Ruuuuune – especially in England, where chants of Ruuuuuuud and Rooooot have been commonplace for decades now. It may be that those involved were enjoying the opportunity to boo without actually booing – as if they were saying boo-urns – but I’m not sure how anyone could know for sure. I guess if I thought I was being booed, I like to think I’d introspect to wonder why – Novak Djokovic is the greatest player of all time but not everyone vibes with his persona. Other hand, I’m certain he’ll play even better as a consequence, so.

Of course, we’re still processing yesterday’s controversy…

Preamble