Wimbledon’s best matches: Five-set thrillers and a classic semi-final
A number of thrilling encounters have occurred during the Championships.
Another entertaining Wimbledon has drawn to a close and there were thrills aplenty during over the past fortnight.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look back on some of the best singles matches in SW19 this year.
Jack Draper v Elias Ymer
British number one Jack Draper produced a fine Andy Murray tribute act on day two of the tournament.
Draper’s match with Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer was bumped up to last on Centre Court following Murray’s withdrawal from the singles competition earlier in the day.
Ymer, ranked 205 in the world, edged the first set and once Draper had regained his composure to move ahead, a routine victory may have been expected, but in true Murray fashion the Briton became embroiled in a late-night five-set match.
Draper finished with aplomb with a sweet backhand winner clinching a 3-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3 win after three hours and 18 minutes.
Carlos Alcaraz v Frances Tiafoe
Frances Tiafoe, who came from two sets down to win in the first round, found himself a set away from a huge shock against defending champion Alcaraz in the third.
A tense fourth set failed to produce a single break point and despite Alcaraz being 0-30 down at 4-4, it eventually went to a tie-break where the Spaniard produced sublime tennis to force a decider.
Alcaraz maintained his level in the fifth set, breaking in the third game before getting another as he claimed a 5-7 6-2 4-6 7-6 (2) 6-2 victory in just under four hours in what proved to be his toughest test of the fortnight.
Emma Raducanu vs Lulu Sun
Emma Raducanu exited Wimbledon after a fourth-round loss to qualifier Lulu Sun, which ended a difficult 24 hours for the former US Open champion on a low note.
Her preparation occurred amid a cloud after she made the controversial decision on day six to pull out of her mixed doubles tie with Murray and in the process deny the three-time grand slam winner a final match at Wimbledon.
Wrist stiffness was cited as Raducanu’s reason and when she stepped on court a day later, the Briton looked set to be blown away by Sun after being broken twice in the first three games.
Sun claimed the opener comfortably, but Raducanu responded with the backing of the crowd before a slip at the start of the third sparked gasps.
While the 21-year-old picked herself up, the New Zealander proved too strong and won 6-2 5-7 6-2 in two hours and 50 minutes.
Taylor Fritz v Alexander Zverev
Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev produced fireworks in another special five-setter, which ended with a long exchange between the players at the net after the American rallied to win.
Zverev stormed into a two-set lead, having failed to face a break point during his previous two matches.
Fritz did finally fashion a break point during the third set and a double-fault by Zverev gifted the 13th seed a way back into the contest.
The momentum had shifted and after Fritz claimed the tie-break, he sealed the decider with a superb backhand winner before he celebrated with his arms outstretched to the delight of his buoyant box.
It was excitable members of the Fritz box which irritated Zverev, who chatted with the victor for a lengthy period at the net before the United States player soaked up the acclaim from the Centre Court crowd.
Jasmine Paolini v Donna Vekic
Arguably the match of the tournament as Jasmine Paolini beat Donna Vekic in a match tie-break to reach the final.
Unseeded Vekic secured the opener before Paolini, who had never won at Wimbledon before this year, struck in the 10th game of the second set to force a decider.
An early break helped Vekic move 3-1 up, but seventh seed Paolini hit back before squandering a match point as her Croatian opponent struggled to hold back tears.
Vekic continued to be emotional during the match tie-break, which largely stayed neck and neck until Paolini triumphed on her third match point to progress to the final with a 2-6 6-4 7-6 (10-8) win.
