Phoenix 24
The defending champion reaches another Wimbledon semifinal.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — July 2026. Jannik Sinner advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals after defeating Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3. The world No. 1 needed two hours and 35 minutes to overcome one of the tournament’s most dangerous servers. His reward will be another high-profile encounter with Novak Djokovic, one of the few players capable of challenging his current dominance.
Struff entered the quarterfinal carrying one of the most powerful service records of the championship. The 36-year-old German had struck 100 aces during his unexpected run through the draw and became the oldest man in the Open Era to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal. Against Sinner, however, raw power was not enough to produce the upset.
The opening set remained balanced as Struff protected his service games through aggressive first strikes and short points. Sinner stayed patient, absorbed the pace and waited for a moment when the German’s accuracy declined. The decisive break arrived late in the set, allowing the Italian to move ahead 7-5 without giving his opponent an opportunity to recover.
Struff produced his strongest resistance during the second set. He continued attacking with his serve and created a set point that could have changed the direction of the match. Sinner survived the pressure, forced a tiebreak and then raised the precision of his returns. The Italian controlled the decisive sequence 7-4 and established a two-set advantage.
The third set exposed the physical and tactical difference between the players. Struff’s explosive serving became less consistent, while Sinner continued moving efficiently and striking the ball early from both sides of the court. A single break gave the defending champion complete control. He closed the contest 6-3 without dropping his serve.
Sinner finished with 16 aces and won approximately 84 percent of the points played behind his first delivery. Those numbers demonstrated that he did not merely neutralize Struff’s principal weapon but also imposed considerable pressure with his own serve. His ability to shorten points allowed him to conserve energy during demanding conditions at the All England Club.
The victory carried particular significance because Sinner began the tournament with concerns surrounding his physical condition. He required five sets to survive his opening match and played through a foot problem that produced visible bleeding inside his shoe. Since then, his performances have become progressively more controlled, efficient and authoritative.
At 24, Sinner has now reached his 10th Grand Slam semifinal and his third at Wimbledon. He remains in contention to defend the title he captured in 2025 and strengthen his position as the leading player in men’s tennis. His consistency across surfaces has made deep appearances at major tournaments increasingly routine rather than exceptional.
Struff leaves London after completing one of the most memorable campaigns of his career. Before Wimbledon, he had struggled to produce consecutive victories during the season, but his aggressive style and powerful serve carried him into the final eight. The German received a warm ovation after the match in recognition of a breakthrough achieved late in his professional journey.
The next challenge will demand a different tactical approach from Sinner. Djokovic offers elite returning, exceptional defensive movement and the psychological strength developed through decades of Grand Slam competition. Their previous encounters have produced some of the most technically demanding matches of recent seasons.
For Sinner, the semifinal represents both an opportunity for revenge and another test of his status as defending champion. Djokovic has repeatedly demonstrated that age becomes less relevant when the decisive stages of Wimbledon arrive. The Italian must now combine the serving quality displayed against Struff with patience, variation and emotional control.
Sinner successfully disarmed the tournament’s most explosive server, but the next obstacle will be built around experience, resilience and historical greatness. The semifinal promises a confrontation between the current world leader and the most successful male Grand Slam champion of his generation. Wimbledon is approaching its decisive weekend with one of its most compelling rivalries ready to return to Centre Court.
The road to another title now passes through Novak Djokovic.