World No 1 Jannik Sinner is out of Wimbledon after losing a roller-coaster five-set thriller against Daniil Medvedev at the All England Club on Tuesday.
Sinner appeared to be feeling unwell, holding his head in his hands after calling the doctor early in the third set of the quarter-final clash and being helped off court for a medical time-out.
A possible retirement looked on the cards but the Italian gradually improved on the resumption and may have won the match had he taken one of two set points in the third.
He managed to force a deciding set but it was Medvedev who eventually claimed a 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 victory after exactly four hours. It snapped a Medvedev's five-match losing sequence to Sinner and avenged his bitter defeat by the Italian in this year's Australian Open final when he squandered a two-set lead.
The Russian also reached the semi-finals last year when he lost to eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz and he will face the defending champion again after the third seed overcame Tommy Paul 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the remaining last-eight match.
“I knew if I wanted to beat Jannik it needs to be a tough match,” said Medvedev. “He’s not any more a guy you can beat easy. I felt at one moment he was not feeling that good and this can get away but he started feeling better so I’m happy I managed to still stay high level. Great points, great match and I’m happy to win and really happy with my game.”
In a tight first set in which neither man gave up a break point, Medvedev edged ahead in the tie-break on the back of a lung-busting 33-shot rally.
However, he squandered a set point and his game suddenly fell apart, serving up a double fault as Sinner pocketed the opener. The mercurial Russian carved out the only break of the second set in the third game on his way to levelling the quarter-final.
Sinner slipped another break down at 2-1 in the third set and immediately summoned the tournament physio. The Italian, appearing distressed, had his blood pressure taken courtside before he left for a medical time-out.
After a 10-minute delay, the 22-year-old resumed play and thrilled the Centre Court crowd when he bravely clawed his way back to 5-5.
He then wasted two set points, which allowed Medvedev to sweep through the tie-break. However, the Italian was undaunted and levelled the quarter-final on the back of breaks in the third and fifth games of the fourth set.
But it was Medvedev finished the fresher of the two players, breaking in the final set on his way to victory and a rematch against Alcaraz.
"Daniil's a really great player. It's the same semi-final as last year so hopefully I'm going to get the same result," said the Spaniard.
"He just won against Sinner, the best player right now, so he's in really good shape and I have to play my best."
In the women's draw, Donna Vekic ended the fairy-tale run of qualifier Lulu Sun to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final.
SW19 sensation Sun won the first set and looked on course to become only the second woman to come through qualifying and reach the last four.
But Vekic, the 28-year-old from Croatia, took a tight second set and then ran away with the third for a 5-7 6-4 6-1 victory.
“It was a really tough match, she played unbelievable, I feel like she really pushed me to my limits,” said an emotional Vekic. “I felt like I was dying out there in the first two sets but I just kept going, hoping to have a chance and it came in the end.
“I have a full box of people there and I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Sun, 23, is the first woman from New Zealand to reach the quarter-finals and her run, including the fourth-round with over home hope Emma Raducanu, has gripped the nation with her matches broadcast live after midnight in her homeland.
Reflecting on her Wimbledon experience, she said: “I mean, even on the first day against Zheng Qinwen, I thought the court was huge and the people were loud.
“I was just, like, super happy to be able to get that experience and play against such a big player, such a great player. But then I played on Centre, against Emma. I don’t think I could forget that. Definitely not. So I’ve had really great matches here at Wimbledon.
“I think just energy from New Zealand fans and other fans, as well, is such a surreal moment for me that I definitely won’t forget.”
