On a dramatic Friday at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, two of men’s tennis’ top stars delivered dominant semi-final performances to punch their tickets to the 2025 Wimbledon men’s singles title match, ending two compelling underdog and legend bids for history along the way. World No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner of Italy sent seven-time Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic packing with a straight-set 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory, halting the 39-year-old’s pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles crown. On the neighbouring half of the draw, French Open champion Alexander Zverev, the tournament’s second seed from Germany, delivered an equally clinical win over British wildcard entrant Arthur Fery, sealing his spot in the final with a 7-6 (7-0), 6-2, 6-4 triumph.
Centre Court packed fans packed into Centre Court on Friday carrying high hopes for two dream storylines: a fairytale deep run for home favourite Fery, and another display of age-defying greatness from Djokovic, who was aiming to draw level with Roger Federer’s all-time record of eight Wimbledon titles. But by the end of the day, it was Sinner and Zverev’s combination of blistering power from the baseline and unflinching lethal serving that stole the show, earning them a spot in tennis’ most anticipated championship match.
For Sinner, Sunday’s final marks his second consecutive Wimbledon title appearance, where he will chase a fifth career Grand Slam crown. The 24-year-old Italian heads into the title clash as the undisputed favourite, boasting a nine-match winning streak against Zverev – four of those wins coming in 2025 alone. He also brings a 13-match uninterrupted winning streak at the All England Club into the final, and a victory on Sunday would not only defend his title but also mark his 100th career Grand Slam match win, mirroring 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,” Sinner told reporters after his win, following an early second-round exit from this year’s French Open. This will be Sinner’s seventh Grand Slam final, his first since a defeat to Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 US Open. Through the first five matches of this year’s tournament, Sinner has dropped only two sets total, rallying from a two sets to one deficit to escape 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 added. “I’m happy where I am, happy to be back in the final and we hope for a good final on Sunday.”
For Zverev, the run to the final caps off a remarkable 12-month turnaround. Just one year ago, the 29-year-old suffered a humiliating first-round exit at the hands of Arthur Rinderknech at SW19. Now, he is through to his first ever Wimbledon final, and his fifth Grand Slam final overall. After shedding the long-held label as the most talented player of his generation yet to win a major with his French Open title last month, Zverev is now one win away from becoming just the seventh man in the Open Era to claim back-to-back Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles. He would also be the first German man to lift the Wimbledon trophy since Michael Stich in 1991, and the first German man to reach the final since Boris Becker in 1995. The German echoed the tactical stakes ahead of Sunday’s clash, noting: “Jannik has won Wimbledon last year. Again, I think the serve-return patterns are going to be very, very important.” When asked if his French Open breakthrough win over Flavio Cobolli had freed him of pressure, Zverev confirmed: “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.” Like Sinner, Zverev has dropped only two sets through the first five matches of the tournament, and he brings a 13-match winning streak across all Grand Slams into Sunday’s final.
For the fallen semi-finalists, the defeat carried different shades of disappointment but also silver linings. Djokovic, who will turn 40 before his next bid for Wimbledon glory, showed no signs of planning to retire, confirming he intends to return to next year’s tournament for another shot at the record. “I would like to, at least one more time,” he said when asked about a 2026 return. Djokovic has not won a Grand Slam title since the 2023 US Open, and has now fallen in six consecutive major semi-finals since that victory. For Fery, the world No. 114, the pain of missing out on becoming the first men’s singles wildcard to reach the Wimbledon final since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 was softened by pride in his unprecedented run. “I’m proud of how I handled the progression of the tournament and how I kept going in every match,” Fery said after the match. “It might have been just a step too far today.”
All eyes now turn to Sunday’s Centre Court showdown, where two of the game’s top players will compete for the most prestigious trophy in the sport.