Wimbledon 2023 LIVE: Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz return to action in men’s semi-finals

It’s men’s semi-final day at Wimbledon as Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz look to set up a sensational final on Sunday.

Djokovic will take on Jannik Sinner as the 36-year-old Serbian continues the pursuit of an eighth Wimbledon title. The Italian eighth seed, who is playing in the first grand slam semi-final of his young career, led Djokovic by two sets in last year’s quarter-finals and will need to produce an even better performance to beat the 23-time slam champion.

That match will be followed by a mouthwatering contest between world No 1 Alcaraz, and the Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev. Alcaraz has played some incredible tennis en route to the semi-finals and will be the favourite to beat Medvedev, who saw off Chris Eubanks in the quarter-finals in a five-set battle.

Ons Jabeur is through to a second consecutive Wimbledon final after coming from a set down to beat Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. The Tunisian sixth seed, last year’s runner-up, won 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-3 to the delight of the Centre Court crowd, but Elina Svitolina’s fairytale run at Wimbledon was ended in straight sets by Czech star Marketa Vondrousova in the first women’s semi-final on Thursday.

Follow live updates and results from day 12 of Wimbledon, below.

Wimbledon 2023: Today’s scores and results

• Wimbledon men’s semi-final day as Djokovic targets eighth title

• Today’s Wimbledon order of play and semi-final schedule

• Novak Djokovic continues title defence against Italy’s Jannik Sinner

• Carlos Alcaraz battles Daniil Medvedev in mouth-watering semi-final

• Ons Jabeur returns to Wimbledon final with comeback against Aryna Sabalenka

• Marketa Vondrousova ends Elina Svitolina’s run to reach Wimbledon final

Wimbledon 2023: Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz meet before semi-finals

11:49 , Jamie Braidwood

There’s no tension from ‘spy-gate’ on display here!

Novak Djokovic’s practice on Court One is followed by Carlos Alcaraz, and the players and their teams exchange a friendly greeting as they swap over on court.

And no, Alcaraz’s team were not filming Djokovic as they made their way onto Court One...

Carlos Alcaraz: Wimbledon 2023 semi-finalist in profile

11:34 , Jamie Braidwood

Carlos Alcaraz will take on Daniil Medvedev in the Wimbledon semi-finals on Friday, as each man bids for his first final at the grass-court grand slam.

Like Medvedev, World No 1 Alcaraz is a former US Open champion, having won in New York last year to claim his first major title at the age of just 19. That victory over Casper Ruud came only 18 months after the Spaniard made his tour debut, and it made him the youngest ever men’s world No 1.

Wimbledon 2023 semi-finalist Carlos Alcaraz in profile

Wimbledon 2023: Semi-finalist Jannik Sinner in profile

11:20 , Jamie Braidwood

Jannik Sinner is through to his first grand slam semi-final as he takes on Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.

The 21-year-old Italian is one of the game’s rising stars and his first appearance in the last four of a slam is expected to be the first of many.

Sinner led Djokovic by two sets in last year’s Wimbledon quarter-final in what was an early example of his prodigious talent, despite the 23-time grand slam champion coming back to win the match in five.

Followed everywhere he goes by the ‘Carota Boys’, Sinner is already one of the top players in the world and is set to form the sport’s next great rivalry along with the 20-year-olds Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune.

Wimbledon 2023 semi-finalist Jannik Sinner in profile

Wimbledon 2023:

10:58 , Jamie Braidwood

Marketa Vondrousova has revealed her husband is set to arrive at Wimbledon for her final against Ons Jabeur after finding a cat-sitter.

Vondrousova said after her quarter-final win against Jessica Pegula that her husband had remained at home in order to look after their cat.

That was before her unexpected run to the final, with the Czech player looking to become the first unseeded player to win the Wimbledon women’s singles title.

Vondrousova’s run has also taken major sponsors by surprise. The 24-year-old does not currently have a clothing deal after being dropped by Nike last year.

Wimbledon 2023: Neal Skupski through to men’s doubles final

10:43 , Jamie Braidwood

Neal Skupski is one win away from a Wimbledon hat-trick after reaching the men’s doubles final with partner Wesley Koolhof.

The Liverpudlian won the mixed doubles in 2021 and 2022 and will have a shot at his first men’s title after a 7-5 6-4 win over Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden on Court One.

One break of serve in each set was enough for Skupski and Koolhof, who are top seeds, to get the job done as they made it into their second grand slam final together, booking a Centre Court appearance on Saturday.

Skupski said winning the men’s doubles at Wimbledon is the “pinnacle” of what he can achieve and the buoyant celebrations at the end showed just what this means to him.

Ken Skupski won’t attend brother Neal’s Wimbledon final due to family holiday

Wimbledon: Ons Jabeur admits ‘old me’ would have lost semi-final

10:28 , Jamie Braidwood

Ons Jabeur believes she is a different player than when she finished runner-up at Wimbledon and says she would have lost yesterday’s semi-final against Aryna Sabalenka a year ago.

"Maybe the old me would have lost that match today," she said. "Probably 12 months ago, for sure. Maybe also a little bit before, like six months ago. It's a different player.

"I'm working on myself like crazy. You have no idea what I'm doing. Every time there is something, I'm very tough with myself, try to improve everything. Very impatient sometimes, which is not good.

"Maybe my injuries slowed me down and teach me to be patient and accept what's going on.

"I was like, honestly, I'm not going to give a s***, I'm just going to go in and hit my return.

"Yeah, it was coming. I was returning much better. She missed some shots that did help me stay in the game. I was fighting every point. We just wait for a little bit of chance sometime to get the game, and that's what happened."

Wimbledon 2023: Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid in singles action

10:13 , Jamie Braidwood

Britain’s Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid have reached the final of the men’s wheelchair doubles at Wimbledon again.

The four-time winners are looking to regain their title after finishing runners up last year.

They beat Martin De La Puente from Spain and Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez 7-5 6-3 on Court One.

Hewett and Reid are also in the semi-finals of the singles tournament, so there could be an all-British final at the weekend.

Both Hewett and Reid are back in singles action today in the men’s semi-finals. Hewett faces Spain's Martin De La Puente while Reid plays Japan's top seed Tokito Oda.

Wimbledon 2023: Centre Court roof set to be shut

09:57 , Jamie Braidwood

Just arrived at Wimbledon ahead of today’s men’s semi-finals and I did not manage to beat the rain.

The downpours have started and they are set to last for the whole afternoon, meaning both men’s semi-finals are set to be played under the Centre Court roof. It’s currently shut are there’s little chance it will open againt today.

Wimbledon 2023: Daniil Medvedev previews Carlos Alcaraz semi-final

09:44 , Jamie Braidwood

Daniil Medvedev on facing Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon semi-finals: “It’s interesting to play someone like Carlos. He is amazing, amazing player. What he continues to do is just unbelievable. He doesn’t stop. I don’t think he will.

“I think the power (is the most impressive thing about him). When he was 17, which was actually not long ago, he was much less mature and younger, which is normal, he was missing. Everyone saw that he’s amazing, but everyone was wondering is he going to find the way to miss less producing the same power. And he did quite fast. That’s what’s pretty amazing.

“Yeah, we see if you give him one easy shot, you can be in trouble. Maybe big chances you’re going to get a winner even with, let’s say, in my opinion, with Novak or Andy, even Rafa, you kind of feel like you can have a chance to get this shot, but the thing is they’re going to have 20 more. With Carlos, maybe you’re not going to get this one. It’s one shot sometimes is brutal.

“I think that’s what the most powerful in his game. That’s what I will have to try to deal with.”

Wimbledon 2023: Carlos Alcaraz on facing the ‘octopus’

09:28 , Jamie Braidwood

Carlos Alcaraz on facing Daniil Medvedev, the “octopus”, in the Wimbledon semi-finals: “He’s really tall. He’s playing great here on grass. He has a great, great year as well. I lost the first match we played here on grass (in 2021). So I have to learn about it.

“But going to enjoy the semi-final. I think I’m playing great, a lot of confidence right now. So it’s going to be a really good match I think. I going to enjoy.

“He’s really complete player. I’m going to say, I think Rublev said a few times, he’s an octopus. He catches every ball. It is amazing. He’s an amazing athlete.

“I think a mix of everything. He does almost everything well.”

Wimbledon 2023: Carlos Alcaraz’s clinical brilliance sends warning to rivals

09:16 , Jamie Braidwood

After more than an hour of Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune serving up a classic opening set of futuristic tennis, the door suddenly closed. Standing in its way was the World No 1, as Alcaraz took the match away from his young rival and raced through the second and third sets to reach his first Wimbledon semi-final.

This first grand slam meeting between Alcaraz and Rune, and first Wimbledon quarter-final played between two men under the age of 21, burned immensely bright to begin with. The stunning attacking play on both sides, creating fun points and absorbing rallies, seemed set to last until it reached the fading evening light on Centre Court.

There was a shine to it, a gleaming freshness, until Alcaraz put his foot down. Staggeringly, after edging ahead by taking the first-set tiebreak, Alcaraz didn’t make a single unforced error in the second set and only one in the third. This was a performance that Novak Djokovic would have been proud of.

Carlos Alcaraz’s clinical brilliance sends warning to Wimbledon rivals

Wimbledon 2023: Novak Djokovic ‘the favourite’ to defend title

09:03 , Jamie Braidwood

Bearing in mind the tennis you’re playing at the moment, you only dropped two sets, you’re the defending champion, do you make yourself the favourite?

Novak Djokovic: “I mean, I don’t want to sound arrogant, but of course I would consider myself favourite. Judging with the results I had in my career here, previous four occasions of Wimbledon that I won, and reaching other semi-final, so I do consider myself favourite, yes.”

Wimbledon 2023: Jannik Sinner looks ahead to Novak Djokovic rematch

08:43 , Jamie Braidwood

Jannik Sinner on facing Novak Djokovic and what he learned from last year’s five-set defeat: “First of all, you have to go up two sets to love!

“In the other way, it’s going to be a completely different match than last year. He knows me better as I know him better also. It’s going to be also a little bit tactical.

“In the other way, it is also a little bit mental, no? If you play against Novak, it’s always tough to play here, especially on Grand Slams.

“But I’m happy. I will fight for every ball. I will enjoy the moment, but knowing that I can go hard, no, trying to beat him.

“But, as I said, now I have two days off, trying to work on couple of things what I might use for the next match. Let’s see. Let’s see how it goes.”

Wimbledon 2023: Can Jannik Sinner stop Novak Djokovic?

08:28 , Jamie Braidwood

Since Roger Federer stood with two match points against Novak Djokovic in the 2019 Wimbledon final, Jannik Sinner is probably the closest anyone has come to ending the Serbian’s Wimbledon run.

The Italian led by two sets in last year’s Wimbledon quarter-finals. Djokovic still hasn’t lost a match on Centre Court since 2013 and has won 33 matches in a row at SW19...

Novak Djokovic produces epic comeback to defeat Jannik Sinner and reach semi-finals

Wimbledon 2023: Novak Djokovic previews Jannik Sinner semi-final

08:16 , Jamie Braidwood

Novak Djokovic on Jannik Sinner: “He’s playing on a very high level. He likes to play on grass. He likes to play on quick surfaces because he likes to be aggressive and take control of the point. From both forehand and backhand, he’s smashing the ball really, really hard, trying to be the one that is going to dictate the point from early on. I know his game well.

“He’s so young, so of course it’s expected that he’s going to improve. He is improving, no doubt, I think with the serve. He’s been serving better. On grass, obviously makes a difference.

“He’s a very complete player. Now first time in semis of Wimbledon. I’m looking forward to that challenge. I’m sure that he’s going to be very, very motivated to win. On the other hand, I am, too.”

Wimbledon 2023: Carlos Alcaraz responds to Novak Djokovic ‘spying’ controversy

08:03 , Jamie Braidwood

Carlos Alcaraz walked out of Centre Court and into a spying controversy after reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time.

The world number one beat fellow 20-year-old Holger Rune in straight sets to reach the last four.

He then had to respond to reports his father Carlos, a regular member of his entourage, recorded Novak Djokovic – who he is seeded to meet in the final – while the seven-time champion was training at Wimbledon’s Aorangi Park.

“Oh, probably it is true. My father is a huge fan of tennis. He doesn’t only watch my matches,” said Alcaraz.

“I think he gets into the club at 11am, gets out at 10pm, watching matches, watching practice from everyone.

Carlos Alcaraz responds to Novak Djokovic ‘spying’ controversy at Wimbledon

Wimbledon 2023: It gets too much’ - Elina Svitolina breaks down under the relentless spotlight

07:58 , Jamie Braidwood

During an intense two weeks, the tennis court became Elina Svitolina’s sanctuary. Her simple stand of refusing to shake hands with Russian and Belarussian players took on heightened scrutiny at Wimbledon, a place where etiquette is sacred, and the spotlight brought with it relentless questions and an insatiable lust for her emotions.

Full story:

Elina Svitolina breaks down in Wimbledon spotlight: ‘It gets too much’

Wimbledon 2023: Ons Jabeur and a Centre Court love affair

07:58 , Jamie Braidwood

Oh, how a tennis match can swing. So silent earlier in the day as Elina Svitolina’s hopes collapsed in front of their eyes, the Centre Court crowd came alive as they looked to revive Ons Jabeur’s Wimbledon dream. And ultimately, all it took was one customary cackle.

The Tunisian, who once more has become the story of the SW19 fortnight, needed a spark out of nothing. Down – but not out – against world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka, last year’s finalist was the wrong side of a set and a break and staring down the barrel once more. But at deuce, Sabalenka serving at 4-3 up in the second set, Jabeur received her goblet of liquid luck.

By Kieran Jackson at Wimbledon

Ons Jabeur and a Centre Court love affair

Wimbledon 2023: How do you solve a problem like Marketa?

07:57 , Jamie Braidwood

If someone other than Marketa Vondrousova is to win Wimbledon on Saturday, they will first have to figure out how to win a tennis match while putting themselves through the mental and physical misery of playing Marketa Vondrousova.

Each time Elina Svitolina returned to her seat she looked a little more perplexed, more drained. With each passing game the left-handed Vondrousova made herself increasingly awkward to face, putting comical spin on her backhand slice, picking obscure angles and covering the court so nimbly that there was no safe space for Svitolina to find, no easy way out.

The looping top-spin on Vondrousova’s forehand refused to slot into Svitolina’s hitting arc. Drop shots would appear unannounced. It made the Ukrainian wonder: do I stand on my heels to receive a deep, bouncing groundstroke, or stay on my toes to anticipate the drop? It was a question she could never fully answer.

By Lawrence Ostlere at Wimbledon

How do you solve a problem like Marketa? Vondrousova is a Wimbledon final riddle

Wimbledon: Today’s TV schedule

07:55 , Jamie Braidwood

What is today’s TV schedule?

11:00-21:00 - Live coverage of outside courts - BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer

12:30-19:00 - Live coverage - BBC Two

13:00-21:00 - Live coverage of Court One - BBC iPlayer

13:45-18:00 - Live coverage - BBC One

19:00-21:30 - Live coverage - BBC One

21:30-22:30 - Today at Wimbledon - BBC Two

Wimbledon: Today’s order of play

07:55 , Jamie Braidwood

Centre Court

13:30: (8) Jannik Sinner (Ita) v (2) Novak Djokovic (Ser)

(1) Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (Spa) v (3) Daniil Medvedev (Rus)

Court 1

13:00: (16) Caroline Dolehide (USA) & Shuai Zhang (Chn) v (3) Storm Hunter (Aus) & Elise Mertens (Bel)

Su-Wei Hsieh (Tpe) & Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Cze) v Marie Bouzkova (Cze) & Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spa)

Court 12

11:00: (5) Renata Jamrichova (Svk) v (2) Clervie Ngounoue (USA)

Henry Searle (Gbr) v (4) Cooper Williams (USA)

Hannah Klugman (Gbr) & Isabelle Lacy (Gbr) v Tatum Evans (USA) & Alanis Hamilton (USA)

Alena Kovackova (Cze) & Laura Samsonova (Cze) v (2) Renata Jamrichova (Svk) & Federica Urgesi (Ita)

Court 18

11:00: (9) Dali Blanch (USA) v (5) Yaroslav Demin (Rus)

(1) Alina Korneeva (Rus) v Nikola Bartunkova (Cze)

Jakub Filip (Cze) & Gabriele Vulpitta (Ita) v (2) Joao Fonseca (Bra) & Juan Carlos Prado Angelo (Bol)

(7) Dali Blanch (USA) & Roy Horovitz (USA) v (6) Branko Djuric (Ser) & Arthur Gea (Fra)

Good morning!

07:52 , Jamie Braidwood

It’s men’s semi-final day at Wimbledon as Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz look to set up a sensational final on Sunday.

Djokovic will take on Jannik Sinner as the 36-year-old Serbian continues the pursuit of an eighth Wimbledon title. The Italian eighth seed, who is playing in the first grand slam semi-final of his young career, led Djokovic by two sets in last year’s quarter-finals and will need to produce an even better performance to beat the 23-time slam champion.

That match will be followed by a mouthwatering contest between world No 1 Alcaraz, and the Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev. Alcaraz has played some incredible tennis en route to the semi-finals and will be the favourite to beat Medvedev, who saw off Chris Eubanks in the quarter-finals in a five-set battle.

It’s set to be quite the day with two brilliant semi-finals. Follow all the action in today’s live blog.