Nick Kyrgios has predicted Carlos Alcaraz will face Novak Djokovic in a repeat of last year’s Wimbledon final.
I am waiting to see if one of the young guys can dethrone him. Right now, he looks to be probably the favourite in my eyes Nick Kyrgios
Defending champion Alcaraz meets Daniil Medvedev in the last-four for the second year in a row, while 24-Slam champion Djokovic takes on Lorenzo Musetti.
It took five sets for third seed Alcaraz to see off slightly built Medvedev, the player Kyrgios has nicknamed the Slim Reaper, in 2023.
And the Australian sees history repeating itself with the 21-year-old Spaniard having extended his head-to-head of victories over Medvedev to 4-2 in their last meeting, at Indian Wells this year.
But Kyrgios, a 2022 finalist on the comeback road from injury, said: “My prediction will be Alcaraz in four or five sets. Medvedev was rock solid against (top-seeded Italian) Sinner (in the quarter-finals), but Sinner was so reluctant to come forward and serve and volley. Whereas Alcaraz has proved he is willing to follow the game plan to defeat Meddy once again.”
Alcaraz, 21, who Djokovic lost to in five sets in last year’s final, said: “Medvedev is a really great player. The same semi-final as last year and hopefully I’m going to get the same result. He just beat Jannik Sinner, the best player right now, so I know he is in really good shape. The most difficult thing about facing Medvedev is that he reads every ball. Every ball comes back!
“I have to play my best. I have to believe in myself and try to keep going if I want to beat him. It is going to be a difficult one, but I’m going to enjoy it.”
Russian Medvedev said: “I have to serve better. That’s still the most important thing on grass. You serve aces, you serve on the line, you’re less in trouble, and you feel better. That’s where you can put pressure on his serve.
“He’s a tough player. He can hit strong. He can slice. He can dropshot. He can volley. He knows how to play tennis. Just need to be at my best, like kind of how I played against Sinner and try to win.”
Kyrgios has been hitting with Djokovic, who defeated him in the decider two years ago, at The Championships.
He is confident the 37-year-old who sealed his seventh All England title against him two years ago will prevail. That the Serbian second seed will seal a record-equalling eighth championship. And that is in spite of Djokovic having had surgery on his right knee just a month before the tournament.
Kyrgios feels Djokovic will benefit from having a day off after being given a walkover into the last-eight when scheduled opponent Alex de Minaur, a compatriot of the 29-year-old who has been making his commentating debut for the BBC at Wimbledon.
Kyrgios said: “It’s probably the best thing to happen for Novak with his knee – two days off. Especially at his age and with that knee. I don’t think you should doubt this man. He is a different type of athlete. We found some time ago that he wasn’t human! We are still trying to figure out what he is! He was playing and moving the best I have ever seen him against Holger Rune (16 years his junior). I am waiting to see if one of the young guys can dethrone him. Right now, he looks to be probably the favourite in my eyes.”
Djokovic, making a record equalling 13th Wimbledon semi-final, was spotted training alongside his daughter Tara in the Wimbledon grounds on Thursday.
He said: “I do enjoy my time with my family, with my kids, for example. I had some really nice time with my daughter on-site. I try to mix things up.
“In those off days when I don’t have matches, I try to practice, but also get my mind off tennis a little bit and enjoy the quality time with close ones. But the tension and the pressure and the stress is really high, as high as it always has been.”
Musetti, the 25th seed, defeated American Taylor Fritz to seal his first semi-final spot in a major but is under no illusions.
The 22-year-old Italian, said: “Novak is a legend everywhere, but especially here in Wimbledon. I expect a big, big fight.”
But Musetti , who is 5-1 down on Djokovic in their head-to-head, believes he has learned from his defeat against the Serb at the recent French Open.
He said: “I think I analysed that match really well and the key moments where I could do better. I put myself in that position. I think in the past weeks, starting from Stuttgart, I started to feel more continuous on that, on the attitude.”
