World No. 1 Sinner stuns Djokovic in straight sets to set up Wimbledon final with Carlos Alcaraz

Jannik Sinner dismantled Novak Djokovic in ruthless fashion at Wimbledon on Friday, storming into his first final at the All England Club and setting up a mouthwatering clash with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The 23-year-old world No.1 took just over two hours to dispatch the 24-time Grand Slam winner, claiming a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory on a sun-scorched Centre Court. Sinner showed no mercy, dominating from the baseline with laser precision and outlasting Djokovic in long rallies, while the Serbian icon struggled physically and mentally.

“It’s a tournament I always watched as a kid,” said a beaming Sinner post-match. “To reach the final here is just incredible. I felt great on the court. I served well. I moved well. I played with calmness.”

With Leonardo DiCaprio spotted among the crowd, the showdown had the atmosphere of a blockbuster — but the script didn’t go Djokovic’s way. Despite chants of “Nole” echoing from the stands, the 38-year-old legend, who has won Wimbledon seven times, appeared out of sorts from the first point.

Sinner, still sporting a protective sleeve from an elbow injury sustained in the fourth round, broke early and never looked back. The Italian raced through the first two sets in just over an hour, snuffing out any hopes of a Djokovic resurgence.

Between sets, Djokovic received treatment on his upper left leg, the same one he jarred during his quarterfinal win over Flavio Cobolli. Though he briefly found form with a break early in the third, it was fleeting. Sinner quickly levelled, broke again at 5-4, and closed out the match on his fourth match point.

“I could see he wasn’t 100%,” Sinner acknowledged. “But I had to stay focused. Novak’s never out until the last ball.”

The result marks the end of Djokovic’s extraordinary Wimbledon streak — his first failure to reach the final since 2017. It also stalls his bid to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles and delays another attempt at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam.

Meanwhile, Sinner’s march to the final continues a golden run: the reigning US Open and Australian Open champion is now into his fourth consecutive Grand Slam final. His opponent on Sunday? A familiar nemesis — Carlos Alcaraz, who leads their head-to-head 8-4 and has won their last five meetings.

Sinner will be out for revenge after a heartbreaking loss to Alcaraz at Roland-Garros last month, where he squandered three championship points.

“It’s always an honour to face Carlos,” Sinner said. “He’s someone I really admire. I hope we give you all a great final, like the last one.”

Alcaraz, who is bidding for a third straight Wimbledon title, hasn’t lost at SW19 since Sinner beat him in the fourth round in 2022. Their rivalry has quickly become the defining battle of the next generation — a stylish, high-octane duel of youthful dominance.

As Djokovic limped off to a warm ovation and uncertain future, all eyes turned to Sunday’s final — a clash between the two brightest stars of men’s tennis, ready to etch a new chapter in Wimbledon history.