Cameron Norrie walked off Centre Court at Wimbledon on Friday having lost to Novak Djokovic in his first major semi-final. Although the Briton has plenty to be proud of after a memorable fortnight, the experience has left him hungry for more.

“Great experience. I can take a lot of confidence from it. To reach the semis, reach the Friday of the second week, is pretty sick. But I think for me, I want to go [for] more and I want to do more of that and go one further and try to win a Slam,” Norrie said.

“A lot of firsts for me this week, a lot of good experiences. Hopefully I can take them in my stride. I think looking, comparing to Novak, I think it was just the level of execution from him today was better than me. His level of focus, the way he handled his service games was better than me. That was the difference.”

For a moment, it seemed Norrie was in good position to push for his first major final after storming through the first set 6-2. But Djokovic rebounded with devastating form through the rest of the match to triumph after two hours and 35 minutes.

“I think I played okay. I just made a lot of returns. I hit the spots well on my serve. Like I said, it was the biggest match of my career. I think it was a six out of 10 set. I think I was running a lot, put a lot of balls in the court,” Norrie said. “I felt like he was a bit nervous. He wasn’t serving as well as I’ve seen him serve. I was winning all the rallies and winning all the longer points. It was a solid set.

“I knew that I had to keep raising the level to have a chance. A semi-final, my first Grand Slam, when you take the set 6-2, you take that. Yeah, it was a good start, but it wasn’t enough.”

Before this edition of Wimbledon, Norrie had never advanced past the third round at a major. But having lifted his first ATP Masters 1000 trophy last year at Indian Wells and competed in the Nitto ATP Finals, the lefty was ready for the moment.

“Coming in here and kind of getting through the draw in the fashion that I did, handling the occasions of playing Centre Court, playing Court 1, playing guys that I’m actually [favoured] to beat, being in situations in fourth rounds, quarters, where I’m actually going in favoured, it’s not easy,” Norrie said. “It’s always nice going into those matches being the underdog and you’ve got nothing to lose.

“For me, I went out there and there was a lot of pressure on me to win. I had good chances to win. So for me to come out and serve out sets, serve out matches, and have the nerve to do that, to have the level of focus, just overall it was a lot of fun doing that.”

One of the best parts of the experience for Norrie was having the British fans behind him. The 26-year-old was the last British singles player remaining, and they tried to help push him all the way.

“Everyone got behind me. The atmosphere was incredible. Especially serving that game out against [David] Goffin to make my first semi-final was pretty crazy,” Norrie said. “I think it’s all happened very quickly. I’m going to have a lot of time to reflect on everything. But it’s tough right now to think about it too much. Obviously just getting knocked out.
A lot of good learning for me.”

Top seed Novak Djokovic revealed that he is embracing the opportunity to make more history at Wimbledon this weekend after he defeated Cameron Norrie to reach a record 32nd Grand Slam final.

The 35-year-old is aiming to capture a seventh Wimbledon crown and 21st major title as he aims to close the gap on 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.

“I’m aware of what’s on the line. Every match, every Grand Slam that I get to play at this stage of my career, there is a lot on the line,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “I don’t know how many Grand Slam opportunities to win the trophy I will still have, as I will have in a few days. So, of course, I’m approaching it with [a] positive attitude and self-belief and willingness to win. There’s no doubt about it.”

The Serbian, who admitted he was delighted to reach another final, will meet Australian Nick Kyrgios in the championship match.

It will be the first time Kyrgios has competed in a Grand Slam final, but Djokovic knows the challenge Kyrgios will pose, with the 27-year-old leading the top seed 2-0 in their ATP Head2Head series.

“The experience that I have at this level, playing in the finals against someone that has never played a Grand Slam final, could be slightly in my favour. But at the same time, knowing who he is and how he goes about his tennis and his attitude on the court, he doesn’t seem to be falling under pressure much,” Djokovic said.

“He plays lights-out every time he steps out onto the court. Just [has] a lot of power in his serve and his game. So I’m sure he’s going to go for it. No doubt he’s going to be aggressive. I expect him to do that.”

The World No. 40 has earned victories against all of the ‘Big Four’ (Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray) in his career. It is a record Djokovic is aware of.

“He’s a big-match player. If you see his career, the best tennis he’s played is always against the top guys,” Djokovic said. “That’s why we all respect him, because we know what he can come up with. It’s going to be [an] interesting match.”

By overcoming Norrie on Centre Court, Djokovic improved his Wimbledon record to 85-10, surpassing Jimmy Connors’ 84-18 record. The World No. 3 was pleased with how he managed to gain momentum after a slow start.

“I felt like I was maintaining my focus pretty well. I sat down, wasn’t playing well, feeling well, but somehow I managed to turn the match around,” Djokovic said.

“You could see today on the court that he dropped the focus a little bit a few times and that’s where I stepped in and really started to control the pace of the match, exchanges from the baseline. He was asking for the support of the crowd and he was getting it.

“It was not easy to close out the match. Even though I was a break up in the fourth, I felt like I was constantly being chased by him from early in the set when I made that break. I felt a lot of pressure to serve it out. But I did serve well. I think when you serve well, it’s a big relief in these kinds of circumstances, these kinds of matches. It helps a lot playing on grass.”

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios will meet for the first time at the All England Club – and the third time overall – in Sunday’s Wimbledon final. Kyrgios has won their prior meetings (both in 2017) without dropping a set and without dropping serve.

But as a 20-time Grand Slam champion, Djokovic has a clear edge in big-match experience over the Australian, who will contest his first major final.

What Is The Head-To-Head Rivalry Between Novak Djokovic & Nick Kyrgios?

2017 Indian Wells R16, hard, Kyrgios d. Djokovic 6-4, 7-6(3)

2017 Acapulco QF, hard, Kyrgios d. Djokovic 7-6(9), 7-5

View The Djokovic-Kyrgios ATP Head2Head page For Match Stats, Bio Info & More

What time is the Wimbledon men’s singles final?

The Wimbledon men’s singles final will take place at 2pm BST / 3pm CEST / 9am EDT on Sunday 10 June.

What time is the Wimbledon women’s singles final?

The Wimbledon women’s singles final between Elena Rybakina and Ons Jabeur will take place at 2pm BST / 3pm CEST / 9am EDT on Saturday 9 June.

How much prize money will the Wimbledon men’s and women’s singles champions earn?

The men’s and women’s champions will both earn £2,000,000. See full round-by-round breakdown.

Top seed Novak Djokovic moved to within one win of capturing his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title and seventh overall Friday, when he overcame Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

On a sun-baked Centre Court, the Serbian raised his level as the match went on, breaching the defences of Norrie with his aggressive and precise groundstrokes to advance to his eighth final at The Championships in two hours and 34 minutes.

“I didn’t start off well. He was the better player for the first set. I have had many semi-finals at Grand Slams before, but it is never easy walking out onto court,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “You have a lot of pressure and expectation from yourself and others. Cameron didn’t have much to lose, he is playing the tournament of his life. Playing at home is never easy, but I wish him all the best. He is a great player and I have a lot of respect for him.”

The World No. 3 is chasing his 21st Grand Slam title this fortnight as he looks to close the gap on 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal. The 35-year-old will face Nick Kyrgios in the championship match on Sunday after Spaniard Nadal was forced to withdraw ahead of his semi-final meeting with Kyrgios due to an abdominal tear. The Australian leads Djokovic 2-0 in their ATP Head2Head series.

“One thing for sure, there is going to be a lot of fireworks emotionally from both of us,” Djokovic said. “It is going to be his first Grand Slam final. He is very excited and he doesn’t have much to lose and he is always playing like that. He is playing so freely, one of the biggest serves in the game. Just a big game overall, a lot of power in his shots. We haven’t played for some time. I have never won a set off him. Hopefully it can be different this time.

“It is another final here at Wimbledon at a tournament I love so much. Hopefully the experience can work in my favour.”

Djokovic has now won 27 consecutive matches at Wimbledon, with his victory over the ninth seed Norrie propelling him into his 32nd Grand Slam final, claiming sole ownership of the all-time major finals record ahead of Roger Federer (31). The Serbian also holds an 85-10 record at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, moving clear of Jimmy Connors (84-18) and into second in the all-time list.

Most Wimbledon men’s singles match-wins (Open Era)

In an impressive first set, Norrie showed little sign of nerves as he quickly found his range on Centre Court. The Briton hammered his topspin forehand with accuracy, while he forced Djokovic off balance and into errors with his flat backhand, breaking three times in the first set to lead.

However, Djokovic is used to the big occasion, with this his 11th semi-final at The Championships. The World No. 3 increased his intensity, demonstrated great touch from all areas and started to find his spots on serve as he turned the tables in the second set to level.

Djokovic continued to go on the attack in the third set, capitalising on the reduction in power and depth of Norrie’s groundstrokes to make further inroads. The 35-year-old fired nine winners and committed just four unforced errors in the set. The Serbian then gained a decisive break at the start of the fourth set, before he zoned in on serve to seal victory.

“It was very hot today. The hottest day of The Championships so far. I was a bit tight at the start of the match, not swinging through the ball as smoothly as I would have liked to and Cameron was dominating the play,” Djokovic added. “I felt that I got lucky in the second set to break his serve. At 4-3, he missed a couple of put-aways and gifted me that game and I felt from that game momentum shifted a little bit.”

Djokovic has improved to 2-0 in his ATP Head2Head series against Norrie, who was competing in his maiden Grand Slam semi-final. The 26-year-old was the fourth British man to advance to the last four at SW19 in the Open Era, joining two-time champion Andy Murray, Tim Henman and Roger Taylor. Former World No. 1 Murray remains the only British player to defeat Djokovic at Wimbledon (2013 final), with the Serbian eliminating James Ward, Kyle Edmund, Jack Draper and Norrie in the past six years.

Four-time tour-level titlist Norrie had never been beyond the third round at a Grand Slam before this fortnight. However, the ninth seed produced a series of impressive performances to defeat Pablo Andujar, Jaume Munar, Steve Johnson, Tommy Paul and Goffin on the lawns in London.

The Serbian rallied from two-sets-to-love-down to edge Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals, having eliminated Soonwoo Kwon, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Miomir Kecmanovic and Tim van Rijthoven in the first four rounds. The Serbian is now 22-5 on the season, highlighted by him clinching a record-extending 38th ATP Masters 1000 crown in Rome.

Most Grand Slam men’s singles final appearances (all-time)

Did You Know?
At 35 years and 49 days, Djokovic is the third player in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon men’s singles final aged 35 or older – after Federer and Ken Rosewall, who both reached two finals in London after turning 35.

Playing in a Grand Slam final is an opportunity kids around the world dream of. Even Nick Kyrgios, who has rarely shown nerves in his career, admitted Friday that he is feeling the butterflies just thinking about competing on Centre Court Sunday for the Wimbledon trophy.

“I had a shocking sleep last night, though, to be honest. I probably got an hour’s sleep just with everything, like the excitement. I had so much anxiety, I was already feeling so nervous, and I don’t feel nervous usually,” Kyrgios said. “I just know there’s a lot of people that want me to do well and give my best. But I had a shocking sleep last night. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight.”

The Australian had never advanced past a major quarter-final before this fortnight. In the quarter-finals, Kyrgios defeated Chilean Cristian Garin. On Thursday evening, he learned his semi-final opponent, Rafael Nadal, had withdrawn, sending the 27-year-old into the championship match. “Every little thought” was running through Kyrgios’ head.

“I was just restless, so many thoughts in my head about a Wimbledon final. That’s all I was thinking about,” Kyrgios said. “I was thinking just playing, obviously imagining myself winning, imagining myself losing, everything.”

The good news for the No. 40 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings is that this is not his first experience at the tail end of a major. Earlier this year, he partnered Thanasi Kokkinakis to the Australian Open doubles title. Although singles and doubles are different physically, Kyrgios found that finding the late-tournament rhythm has made him more comfortable this time.

“You just have to ride the waves, roll with the punches in a Grand Slam. Like, you just don’t know. You really don’t know. You could be four points away from losing the tournament, then 11 days later you’re in the final,” said Kyrgios, who needed five sets in his first-round match against Paul Jubb. “I just feel like I kind of just take it as it comes now more so than what I used to.”

Kyrgios was looking forward to the opportunity in the semi-finals to face Rafael Nadal, who leads their ATP Head2Head series 6-3. But first and foremost, the Australian wishes that the 22-time major winner recovers quickly.

“It’s not the way I wanted to get to the final. As a competitor, I really did want that match. It was obviously something that as soon as I beat Garin, Rafa was a high possibility, someone I’ve had so many good battles with before. We’ve both taken a win against each other at this tournament. I really did want to see how the third chapter was going to go,” Kyrgios said. “Obviously you never want to see someone like that, so important to the sport, go down with an injury like that. He’s just played so much tennis. He’s had a grueling season. I just hope he recovers. I’m sure I’ll play him again on a big stage.”

Now the six-time ATP Tour singles titlist’s sights are fully set on Sunday’s final, in which he will face six-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic or Briton Cameron Norrie.

“Whether I win or lose on Sunday, I’m going to be happy. It’s such a great achievement that I thought I’d never be a part of,” Kyrgios said. “Especially at 27, I feel this is, like, for me, I thought it was the later stages of my career. But I just never thought it would be right here. I have a chance.”

 

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Kyrgios on Friday posted a picture on social media of himself as a young junior holding a tennis racquet. That boy from Canberra has come a long way.

“I never thought I’d be here at all, to be brutally honest with you. Obviously when I was No. 1 junior in the world and I was playing here as a junior, I can’t give enough credit to juniors, what it did for my confidence. Being around the Grand Slams at that young age, being around some of the top players, the facility, I don’t think I would have had the breakthrough in the men’s so quickly. But I never thought that I’d be playing,” Kyrgios said. “I saw some of the professionals walking around and I’d be a junior here, and I never thought I’d be playing for the actual men’s title. I feel like it’s the pinnacle of tennis. Once you are able to raise a Grand Slam trophy, I mean, kind of what else is there to achieve?

“So I never thought I’d be here. I’m just super proud and I’m just ready to go. I’m going to give it my all and we’ll see what happens.”

Listen to Nick Kyrgios talk about his grass-court pedigree in this interview from earlier in the grass season…

Defending champions Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic will meet Australians Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell for the first time Saturday in the Wimbledon men’s doubles final. 

Both teams saved at least one match point in a pair of five-set semi-final victories, with Ebden/Purcell saving five in a a 3-6, 6-7(1), 7-6(9), 6-4, 6-2 comeback against top seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. While the 14th seeds battled back from two sets down, Mektic/Pavic twice came back from a set down against former champions Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal in a 6-7(2), 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(10-4) thriller, saving a match point on the Mektic serve at 4-5 in the decider.

Mektic/Pavic, the second seeds, bring a 13-match winning streak into the final, in addition to their 11-match winning streak at Wimbledon. The Croatians won at The Queen’s Club and Eastbourne in the lead-up to Wimbledon, giving them four titles on the season (Rome, Geneva). They have won 13 titles as a pair since teaming up for the 2021 ATP Tour season.

Aussies Ebden/Purcell lifted their lone trophy as a duo in Houston this April and reached the final at the Australian Open and in s’Hertogenbosch. The Wimbledon marathon men have gone the distance in four of their five matches this fortnight and twice came back from two sets down; they won a 10-8 fifth-set tie-break in the opening round against Ben McLachlan and Andre Goransson in their other great escape.

Ebden also reached the Wimbledon mixed doubles final on Thursday. Teaming with countrywoman Sam Stosur, he fell short of the title as Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski triumphed 6-4, 6-3.

He will again bid for his Grand Slam glory in Saturday’s final.