Djokovic powers into 10th Wimbledon semis

LONDON: World number one and five-time champion Novak Djokovic reached his 10th Wimbledon semi-final and 41st at the Grand Slams on Wednesday.

Djokovic, chasing a record-equalling 20th major, defeated Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

He will face Canada’s 10th seed Denis Shapovalov, who beat Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, for a place in Sunday’s final.

It was 34-year-old Djokovic’s 100th career grass court victory.

Djokovic became only the third man to capture all four majors more than once with his second French Open victory last month.

Now he is halfway to becoming the first man in the Open Era and only the third in history to complete a calendar Grand Slam of all four majors.

“I’m aware of certain stats, I love this sport with all my heart, body and soul and have been devoted to it since I was four,” he said.

“Sometimes things do look surreal for me but I try to live in the moment and take every opportunity I have on the court.

“Going for history is a huge inspiration for me, let’s keep it going.”

Djokovic raced into a 5-0 lead in the first set before 29-year-old Fucsovics got on the board.

The world number 48, bidding to become the first Hungarian man since 1948 to make the semi-finals at Wimbledon, saved five set points.

However, the rearguard action was too late to prevent the champion edging ahead.

The top seed broke for the only time in the second set in the ninth game which was enough for a two sets lead.

Djokovic had spent three hours fewer than the muscular Fucsovics in getting to the last-eight and his freshness showed when he crucially broke in the first game of the third set and then fought off two break points in the sixth.

Shapovalov fired 17 aces and 59 winners past Khachanov to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final.

The left-handed Canadian will be a huge underdog against Djokovic having lost all six matches against the world number one.

“Obviously he’s the best player in the world but I think anything is anything is possible. When you look at the scoreboard first thing it will be 0-0,” said the 22-year-old.

“Nothing else matters. Its a tennis match and it can go either way. I have full belief in myself and my team.”

Pliskova blasts ‘brutal’ critics

Karolina Pliskova, who reached her first Wimbledon semi-final on Tuesday with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic, took a swipe at her critics for their “brutal” treatment.

“I’m super-happy to be through to my first semi-final at Wimbledon,” said the 29-year-old Czech who will be playing in her fourth Slam semi-final.

“This was my first appearance on Court One this year and I had to work really hard to get to this court.

Despite her happiness a completing a full set of semi-final appearances at all four majors, Pliskova hit out at doubters who questioned her future in the sport when she fell out of the world top 10 on the eve of Wimbledon.

“The Internet is the biggest problem,” said Pliskova who had failed to get to the second week of a Slam in her last five outings.

“Not that I would really read all the messages and all the comments, but sometimes you just see something or like some articles.

“I think they can be quite brutal. I was five years in the top 10. Then one week I’m not in the top 10, and it’s like huge drama, especially in my country. I think these things, they just don’t help.”