Sinner wins against Shelton and goes to the semifinals at Wimbledon. Cobolli defeated by Djokovic

Jannik Sinner reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the second time: in the previous one (2023) he lost to Djokovic and on Friday it will be a rematch with the Serb, who beat Flavio Cobolli.

Today in the quarters the world number one won decisively against Ben Shelton in three sets, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4. It was the sixth success against the American (the last at the Australian Open) for Sinner, who played with a sleeve, i.e. a strong protection on his right elbow, due to a fall during the match with Dimitrov. The first set ended 7-6 in a little less than an hour, with no break point; then at 6-all, there was no history: the Italian, always lucid and concentrated, dominated the tiebreak 7-2, thanks to a double fault and trivial errors from the baseline by his opponent.

The second set opened with Jannik serving immediately under 15-40, but the break points were just as quickly neutralised. Things were balanced, then Shelton, towards the end of the set, showed that he could not withstand the pressing and deep exchanges his opponent forced him into. At 5-4, Jannik closed the accounts on the first set point conceded by the American: 6-4 in 46 minutes.

The third set dropped in intensity, there were more errors on both sides in an uninspiring match. Sinner, however, seemed more concrete and consistent. Shelton, at 5-4 with serve in his favour, saved two match points with a winner and an ace, only to concede a third with a double fault. At that point Sinner induced him to error with an aggressive reply and closed 6-4. The numbers say it all: the American's forehands will be 38 (Sinner's only 17) and the winners 29 (Sinner's 33).

Simultaneously, the other semi-final was played on the centre court, with a sensational start by Flavio Cobolli against Novak Djokovic. The 23-year-old from Rome, in his first quarter-final at a Slam, won a tight first set at the tiebreak, 7-6 (8), coming back from 3-5. He then fell noticeably, losing the second set 6-2 and suffering a break at the opening of the third. The Serb won this one 7-5, with the decisive break at 5-all. The fourth set was neck and neck until the fourth tie, when Cobolli smashed a forehand volley into the net on an open court: it was the fatal break 5-4 in favour of the Serb. There is still time, with Djokovic serving, to see a forehand volley with which the Italian saves himself from a match point, then Nole closes 6-4. What remains is Flavio Cobolli's wonderful performance: he came out of the centre court flooded by the applause of the public, who appreciated his accelerations and the personality of someone who loves to compete and gives it his all. Djokovic, embracing him, congratulated him and whispered that he would enter the world's top ten, as the Roman later told the press conference.