London, July 12 (V7N/AFP) - Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and seven-time winner Novak Djokovic are poised to set up a highly anticipated Wimbledon final on Friday. However, they must first overcome formidable opponents Daniil Medvedev and Lorenzo Musetti.
 
Alcaraz vs. Medvedev: A Rematch
 
Spanish world number three Carlos Alcaraz faces off against Daniil Medvedev in a repeat of last year's Wimbledon semi-final, where Alcaraz triumphed in straight sets. Medvedev avenged that loss with a dominant win at the US Open later that year.
 
Alcaraz, 21, aims to reach his fourth Grand Slam final and become only the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon consecutively. His Wimbledon journey has been challenging, needing five sets to defeat Frances Tiafoe in the third round and four sets to overcome Ugo Humbert and Tommy Paul.
 
Holding a 4-2 head-to-head advantage over Medvedev, Alcaraz has described his opponent as "a wall, every ball bounces back." Medvedev, ranked fifth, is seeking his seventh Grand Slam final. He showcased his resilience by defeating top seed Jannik Sinner in five sets in the quarter-finals, avenging his Australian Open final loss to the Italian.
 
Medvedev noted the difficulty of playing against Alcaraz, stating, "It's tough to play against Carlos because you know whatever shot you hit, he can hit a winner from there." Medvedev has served 64 aces to Alcaraz's 52 and has been broken eight times compared to Alcaraz's 16.
 
Djokovic vs. Musetti: The Generational Clash
 
Novak Djokovic, matching Roger Federer's record with his 13th Wimbledon semi-final, is two wins away from tying Federer's eight singles titles at the All England Club. A victory on Friday would bring Djokovic to his 10th Wimbledon final and 37th Grand Slam final. At 37, Djokovic could become the oldest modern-era champion, a notable achievement given his recent knee surgery.
 
This season has seen Djokovic lose his Australian Open and French Open titles and fail to reach a tour final. He advanced to the semi-finals after Alex de Minaur withdrew from their quarter-final due to a hip injury. Djokovic has been vocal about the disrespect he felt from fans during his last-16 win over Holger Rune, stating, "If somebody steps over the line, I react."
 
Djokovic holds a 5-1 record against Musetti, including a five-set comeback win at the French Open last month, which set a record for the latest finish at Roland Garros. Musetti, 22, pushed Djokovic to five sets in their first meeting at Roland Garros in 2021.
 
Musetti acknowledges the challenge ahead, saying, "He's a legend everywhere, but especially here at Wimbledon. I expect a big fight. It's one of the toughest challenges. But I'm an ambitious guy and I like to be challenged." If Musetti reaches the final, it will mark the first time in history that Italian players have reached both the men's and women's singles finals at a Grand Slam, with Jasmine Paolini set to play against Barbora Krejcikova in the women's final on Saturday.
 
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