By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) -Top seed Jannik Sinner ensured Novak Djokovic will be absent from a Wimbledon men's singles final for the first time in eight years after handing the Serbian great a brutal Centre Court battering on Friday.

First, Carlos Alcaraz did his part to set up The Grand Slam Rematch The Tennis World Wanted, barely averting a fifth set and getting past Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in the semifinals Friday to move within a victory of a third consecutive Wimbledon championship.

Carlos Alcaraz has five career Grand Slam titles, with two Wimbledon championships, two French Open titles and a U.S. Open victory. He won his first major at the 2022 U.S. Open, then won back-to-back Wimbledons in 2023 and 2024 and back-to-back French Opens at 2024 and 2025.

Sinner, who is from San Candido, Italy, has been linked to model Laila Hasanovic with rumors intensifying after a July 4 Instagram post from Wimbledon. The World No. 1 has shot down these rumors emphasizing that he is not in a relationship.

Tony Kornheiser and Pablo Torre discuss whether Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jannik Sinner has the potential to be the next big tennis rivalry.