*Sinner 3-6 1-2 Djokovic Oh dear. Djokovic redirects a forehand down the line for 0-15, then two unforced errors and all of a sudden it’s 0-40; such is life. Sinner, though, saves the first break point when his opponent drops long, the second with a forehand winner inside-out into the corner, but in a microcosm of the match, he then slams a flat forehand long, and gets what he deserves. It’s hard enough playing the best of all time without handing over gimmes like that, but that’s the difference really; everyone does that apart from him.
Sinner 3-6 1-1 Djokovic* How do we feel about dominant champions? On the one hand, it doesn’t feel healthy to see Djokovic cruising through majors at 36; on the other, Alcaraz was on top in Paris till the stress of it all took its toll and that won’t happen again; on a hard court, he’ll be even more of a handful; and people tune in to see if someone can beat the man. Darts isn’t the same since Phil Taylor retired and Michael van Gerwen dropped a few levels, snooker exploded when it boasted consecutive unbeatable champions, and Roger Federer was pretty good for our game. Anyway, Sinner makes 15-all with a lovely sliced drop, only to shank a backhand at 30-all; “a poor miss,” says Tim in comms. Djokovic hasn’t made a first serve in this game, then he does, but Sinner challenges and it’s out – decent peepers – but it makes no difference, because the Italian then frames one. He’s still making an impression when returning though; he just needs to, as the abovementioned Van Gerwen likes to say, “do the right things at the right times”.
*Sinner 3-6 1-0 Djokovic Nice from Sinner, underarming a big forehand from corner to corner for 30-15. Neither he nor our match can deal with the concession of a break at this juncture, so the ace he finds at 30-all is crucial, and from there he closes out.
Sinner 3-6 Djokovic* Sinner stretches to reach a return – that’s a fantastic get – and Djokovic errs long for 0-15! Then serves an ace. Then serves another ace. He is not human. Then serves another ace. He does well not to laugh, I told you he wasn’t human, then he serves a service winner. He’s an absolute disgrace, the best player under pressure there’s ever been in men’s tennis and perhaps only Chris Evert and Serena are his equal in women’s. He leads by one set to love, of course he does, but Sinner is in this match.
*Sinner 3-5 Djokovic At change of ends we see that both Felicity Kendall and Floella Benjamin are in the house, two staples of an 80s childhood. It’s a while since anyone asked me what my favourite shape is, but in my Play chool days, I always hoped they’d go through the square window – to my eternal shame as, at the age of 44, I’ve realised that the circle is better. Sinner holds to 15, and is moving through his serice games really easily, problem being he’s ceded one break point and Djokovic being Djokovic, he seized it so will now serve for the first set.
Sinner 2-5 Djokovic* This is a really fun match so far, one of the highest-standard I’ve seen this fortnight – though, for it to be a sustaining contest, Sinner could really do without falling behind. And again he gets into the game, banging a forehand winner down the line for 15-all only to net when he shouldn’t for 30-15. From there, Djokovic mooches to within a game of the first set, again sealing one with an ace down the middle.
“Salad Cream? Just thinking about makes me want to be violently sick,” advises John Windmill, our pictures man. “Oh, Daniel.”
But John, it’s so deliciously tangy – though just to be clear, I do not like sandwich spread.
*Sinner 2-4 Djokovic In the interests of sharing the wealth, this is the best and most nostril-invading chrayne I’ve found; back on court, Sinner holds to love, and in some ways this is a classic Djokovic set, much closer to being broken than breaking, apart from the time he actually broke.
Sinner 1-4 Djokovic* Further to Zack’s mayonnaise point, let me say here, very clearly, that salad cream is by far the superior condiment, thanks principally to the presence of taste. It’s not fashionable, no – though, last summer, Anya Hindmarch turned it into an ice cream – but still. Anyroad up, Sinner lets Djokovic off the hook at 15-all, hitting man not space so passed at the net, but then a slice drops fractionally long and this time yerman pounces, swinging a majestic inside-out backhand onto the line for break point. Djokovic has served fantastically this year but Sinner is creating opportunities … burning this one when on top in the rally, going cross with line open. He knows it too, indicating the shot he should’ve played, and seconds later it’s 4-1, an exclamation mark added to it with the ace down the T that clinches it. Sinner might worry that he won’t get many chances and he’s already missed four, but he’ll be telling himself there’s no reason he won’t keep making them.
*Sinner 1-3 Djokovic Sinner quickly makes 30-0 before slamming an ace down the T. He needed that, though he’s actually playing pretty well, and a canny high-kicking second serve sets up a 40-15 rally which he finishes with yet another sizeable forehand. He’s on the board.
I cannot wait to see Eubanks play again.
Sinner 0-3 Djokovic* A terrific backhand cross-court, dug out almost from behind him, gives Sinner 0-15. But from there, Djokovic consolidates convincingly, and already the match looks within his command.
“Challah Sandwich??? That’s borderline apikorsus!” writes Zack Dzialowski, who for those unfamiliar with the term, just called me a heretic. “Challah must never be eaten with anything besides mayonnaise or chrayne (possibly allowed to toast the leftovers on Moitze Shabbos!).
A friend of mine is rather keen on toasted challah on Shabbat morning, but otherwise, chrayne – a glorious meld of beetroot and horseradish, the most beautiful shade of mauve, is tremendous, likewise hummus, but challah is also very good slapped around liver sausage or viennas.
*Sinner 0-2 Djokovic (*denotes server) Sinner is the first player since Henman in 2002 to make the semis without facing a seed, but so far he looks fine with that, so of course as I type those words he sticks another forehand into the top of the net for 30-all. It’s amazing the power he generates off his chicken legs, but a swiped forehand drops wide and now it’s Djokovic with break point. Sinner really can’t afford to cede the advantage so early … but he does, a forehand sent wide; response required.
Sinner 0-1 Djokovic* (*denotes server) In the process of losing the first point, Sinner slips – one on which to keep an eye – then at 30-0, he finds a decent pass, Djokovic unable to reach his volley at the net. Already, the world number one is looking to stick Sinner on his bike, hitting towards corners, but when he goes wide, he finds himself serving at 30-all, and facing a second delivery Sinner steps in then runs around his backhand to send as winner cross-court for break point! But another forehand towards the line is more accurate, making deuce, whereupon we enjoy the best rally of the match so far, Sinner ending it abruptly with a brutal forehand that isn’t even close to the corer, and we learn that, during this tournament, only Alcaraz has hit a bigger ball. This time, though, break point vanishes with a netted forehand, and from there, Djokovic closes out. That was a helluva start to the match.
“I was there!” tweets Robert Walnut of the 2001 final.
And off we go! Djokovic to serve.
“Challah is like brioche,” reckons Mark Woldin, “to be lathered with butter, eaten with a hot coffee nearby. A fresh hot bagel with cream cheese and lox is one of the glories of the Western World. Get on board, Daniel!”
If I’m totally honest, I find what I know to be a classic sandwich somewhat bland. Put me in cheirem.
Out come our players, Sinner leading the way.
“On the important note of bagels v challah,” emails Edan Tal, “I have conducted similarly lengthy research. I think it all depends on the quality and a good quality bagel trumps challah for a closed sandwich as challah tends to crumble. But a good bagel should be ashamed of its hole and be nearly closed at the point of consumption, as seen at Beigel Bake. A holy bagel is no match for challah though. Also, do you not think Grodzinski’s in Stamford Hill is a fair match for Daniel’s?”
It’s years since I went to Grodz in N17, but I’ll have a shy next time I’m visiting my wife’s dressmaker – Tiferes in Dunsmure Road for anyone wanting a top bloke and craftsman. I find the challah sandwich can be prevented from crumbling by rapid insertion into facehole.
“On court I try to do the right things, but off court I can be a classic one,” Sinner tells BBC when explaining he’s not as serious as he seems and is actually quite funny. He’s from northern Italy near the Austrian border, and in general, folk from there are said to be more stereotypically Austrian than Italian in temperament, but on a very basic level he seems sound. He’s also a tremendous all-round athlete, good enough to have been a pro skier and footballer, such that even if he wasn’t an interesting bloke, which he is, he’d still have the personality proxies we all wish for.
Tim Henman is in the BBC studio, wondering how on earth this tournament ever got finished playing one day fewer and with no roofs, noting that rallies are shorter these days. I’d not thought of that, but I guess if points are serve, return, putaway volley, it makes perfect sense. It’s funny, though, that two of my all-time favourite finals were completed on Monday, Edberg beating Becker in 1990 and Ivanisevic finally getting his title in 2001 by seeing off Rafter – coincidentally, Henman’s one that really got away.
Regular readers will, no doubt, be wondering where on earth Coach Calvin Betton has got to with his pithy tactical breakdowns, and I’m pleased to report that the answer is right here: “Can’t see anyway Djokovic is troubled. He’ll make too many balls and keep Sinner moving so he never has a set base to hit his big shots out of. Medvedev and Alcaraz could be interesting. If Medvedev serves well then it will be really tight. Alcaraz probably just has enough to hit through him. Medvedev doesn’t have much to hurt with if his serve isn’t happening. The key shot will be Alcaraz’s drop shot cos Medvedev stands so far back.”
I wonder if he’ll adjust there. I imagine he’ll stick with his usual position to return, but he must know he needs a plan to combat one of the best and, increasingly, most renowned shots in the game.
Real talk: bagels do not, in my opinion, make for any kind of decent sandwich. No give, hard to arrange a decent filling to bread ratio, and just not that tasty. Challah is far, far better in every aspect, and the extensive, decades-long research I’ve undertaken in this important area tells me that the best in London can be found at Daniels – or, indeed Daniel’s, depending on where you look – in Temple Fortune.
I’m not sure whether to thank or blame Oli Goldman for bringing this monstrosity to my attention. I guess you might argue that anything is improved by its insertion between two slices of bread, but you might also contact The Hague.
It’s minging in London today, so I’m almost certain these matches will take place with the roof on. I doubt it’ll make much difference to Djokovic, but Sinner will probably be pleased as indoors tends to favour the harder hitter, and against the greatest, you need every advantage you can get.
Hello and welcome to Wimbledon 2023 – day 12! Our women’s final is set and now it’s time for the men.
We begin with the defending champion, playing his 12th semi-final at the All England Club – he’s won nine – a venue at which he’s not been beaten since 2017. And it’s hard to see that changing here, given his earth-shattering ability, spectacular form, and sense of mission. He is not on course for a calendar-year Grand Slam – rather it seems almost inevitable.
However, there’s always a however. Jannik Sinner comes from the third generation of players bested by Novak Djokovic, but unlike most, he knows he can beat him – not because he has, but because he nearly did, losing from two sets to love up in last year’s quarter-finals. Sinner can easily rationalise that he’s a much better player now, more settled in his game, more at home in these surroundings and better able to negotiate the big moments – plus he can hit anyone, and I mean anyone, off the court. He’ll need to play better than ever before, but of all the men on the tour bar Carlos Alcaraz, he has the game and coldness most suited to ruining Djokovic’s day.
Talking of Alcaraz, he has again been brilliant through this tournament, his explosive forehand not just the most thrilling shot in the game but one of the greatest sights in all sport. But Daniil Medvedev is an opponent who’s seen it all, gradually growing into the fortnight with a serve big enough to trouble anyone and a tactic of standing beyond the baseline that might just neutralise his opponent’s power.
Of course, that opponent is not underfurnished in the guile department, but this is only his third major semi and in his last one, just a month ago, he succumbed to cramp. So, though Alcaraz has unshakeable confidence that he’s good enough to win this, now, he doesn’t know for sure, and Medvedev will be doing all he can to make him live that uncertainty. This is going to be good!
Play: 1.30pm BST
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