CLASH OF TITANS

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev swept into the Wimbledon final in ruthless style on Friday, leaving broken dreams in their wake as Novak Djokovic and Arthur Fery fell short in their bids to make history.

Sinner is within touching distance of a second successive Wimbledon title after ending Djokovic’s latest attempt to win a record 25th Grand Slam triumph with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 demolition of the seven-time champion.

The Italian world No. 1 will meet French Open champion Zverev in Sunday’s title match following the German second seed’s 7-6 (7/0), 6-2, 6-4 rout of British wildcard Fery.

The Centre Court crowd hoped to witness the latest chapter in Fery’s fairytale run, as well as another demonstration of the 39-year-old Djokovic’s age-defying heroics.

But instead they were left to applaud the brutally efficient combination of power-hitting and lethal serving that carried both Sinner and Zverev into the final.

Sinner will be appearing in his second Wimbledon final as he chases a fifth Grand Slam crown, while Zverev, in search of a second major title, is through to his maiden showpiece at the All England Club.

Sinner goes into the final as the firm favorite, having won his last nine meetings with Zverev, including four this year.

While Sinner is on a 13-match winning streak at Wimbledon, Zverev has won his last 13 matches at Grand Slams.

The Italian can notch his 100th Grand Slam match win by repeating his 2025 Australian Open final victory over Zverev.

“It means a lot to me to play one more final here. It’s the most special tournament we have,” said Sinner, who crashed out in the second round of the recent French Open.

Sinner, 24, will be competing in his seventh Grand Slam final and his first since losing to Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open last year.

Sinner and Zverev have dropped just two sets each in this year’s tournament, with the Italian coming from two sets to one down in a first-round scare against Miomir Kecmanovic.

“I knew mentally I had to raise my level, which I have done so I am very happy,” Sinner said.

“I’m happy where I am, happy to be back in the final and we hope for a good final on Sunday.”

Zverev will be in his fifth Grand Slam final after finally shedding the unwanted tag as the most talented player of his generation never to win a major.

The 29-year-old can become the seventh man in the Open era to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon back to back.

“Jannik has won Wimbledon last year. Again, I think the serve-return patterns are going to be very, very important,” he said.

Just 12 months ago, Zverev suffered an embarrassing Wimbledon first-round exit against Arthur Rinderknech.

Now he is on the brink of becoming the first German man to win Wimbledon since Michael Stich in 1991.

He is the first male German finalist at Wimbledon since Boris Becker in 1995.

Asked if he felt liberated by his French Open final win over Flavio Cobolli, Zverev said: “Yes, one thing, for sure, once you win a major you know how to do it and you feel like you can do it again. You have this feeling inside of you.”

Djokovic will be 40 by the time he has another chance to draw level with Roger Federer’s record eight Wimbledon titles, but he is planning to be back for another tilt.

“I would like to, at least one more time,” he said when asked if he would return to Wimbledon next year.

Djokovic’s last Grand Slam title came at the 2023 US Open, since when he has lost six major semifinals.

For Fery, the frustration of failing to become the first wildcard to reach the Wimbledon final since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 was tempered by his unbelievable run.

“I’m proud of how I handled the progression of the tournament and how I kept going in every match. It might have been just a step too far today,” the world No. 114 said.