Defending champion Jannik Sinner returns to the final after defeating 24-time Major winner Novak Djokovic on Centre Court at Wimbledon 2026

Jannik Sinner moved to within one victory of retaining the Wimbledon title after ending Novak Djokovic’s latest bid to win a 25th Grand Slam.

The defending champion produced his best performance of the tournament so far as he downed the 39-year-old 6-4 6-4 6-4 in a two-hour and 20-minute semi-final on Centre Court.

It sees the Italian move into his seventh Major final where he will meet French Open champion Alexander Zverev in a Sunday showdown for the trophy.

A cagey opener swung the top seed’s way when he broke in the ninth game with a stonking backhand winner down the line.

The Italian didn’t blink from there as he served out a 40-minute first set on his second opportunity.

Djokovic looked to respond in the second stanza and doggedly clung on to his serve, but Sinner was relentless and broke decisively with a bewitching drop shot in the seventh game en route to moving two sets up.

A tough task became an almost impossible one for the veteran Serb as he dropped serve right at the start of the third. Sinner finally faced a break point but came up clutch with an ace to stay on track and eventually went on to serve out to love.

Sinner is first World No. 1 to reach the Men’s Singles final at Wimbledon in consecutive editions since Novak Djokovic (2019-2021) and the first in consecutive years since Rafael Nadal (2010-11).

Sinner fizzes down an ace to open and is ice-cool with a bounce smash Nole can’t get back.

The top seed booms down another ace to tee up three match points and gets it done on the first of them when Djoker bats an overhead on the stretch wide.

Sinner wants to end it here and follows up a hefty injection of pace on the forehand to force an error by getting to Pulp with a raking crosscourt return that leaves him with a simple winner to the open court.

The Italian can’t pull off a crosscourt backhand pass under strain but a lightning bolt return helps him to deuce.

Djokovic comes up clutch with a huge first serve down the T and gives himself one last chance of biting back with a rapid second serve.

The defending champions moves to within a game of a return to the final.

Djokovic throws everything into the rallies he is able to engage in, but it’s just not enough as Jannik eases through a hold to love, finishing it off with his 14th ace of the day.

Sinner puffs out his cheeks as a forehand on the run arcs crosscourt and misses the edge of the line by a whisker.

It would have chalked up two more break points, but he’s soon looking to convert one when Djokovic’s lob volley lands long.

The Serbinator belts down an ace to stave it off before a service winner and another ace keep him in the hunt.

It’s getting to now or never time for Djokovic and he is doing his best to turn up the heat on the return.

Unfortunately for him, Sinner keeps delivering when it really matters and an ace down the T and a leaping crosscourt forehand do enough to help the top seed pull clear from 30-30 and tick off another hold.

Sinner whacks away a venomous crosscourt pass but can’t make much more impact.

Nole stays in contention as a very tidy plus-one forehand down the line claims a game to 15.

‘Nole, Nole, Nole…’ is the incessant chant around Centre Court as the seven-time champion gets a foothold in the game on the return at 30-30.

Sinner makes sure with a bounce smash to earn game point but is pressed to deuce when the Serb sizzles a forehand down the line.

Djokovic produces a moment of magic with a surprise drop shot to snare his first break point, but Sinner wipes it out with a timely ace.

The Italian takes care of another bounce smash and then hammers down another ace to stay on track.

Djokovic is constantly under pressure.

Sinner fizzes a backhand winner to threaten at 15-30 and the Serb needs a spectacular strike down the wing off that same flank to get back into it.

The 39-year-old is pushed to deuce when Jannik plays a devilish slice down the line and then needs a clutch serve to stave off another break point.

It takes some doing, but Nole eventually gets over the line when a net cord goes his way and allows him to flick a winner to the open court.

Sinner makes short work of consolidating with a game to 15 and can see a return to the final growing on his horizon now.

Alarm bells ring for Djokovic in a must-not-lose game at the start of the third set.

The Serb deploys a second serve S+V tactic and sweeps away a lovely forehand down the line to stave off two break points.

Sinner conjures up a third with a supreme counter-punched backhand on the stretch to tee up a simple forehand pass off the block volley.  

Djokovic resists for a third time but struggles to get over the line and coughs up a fourth chance with a forehand long.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion opts for another S+V but deploys the angled forehand into the net and his hopes of an eighth crown in SW19 this year are now fading fast.

The defending champion, Jannik Sinner moves to within a set of a return to the final as he serves out to love to secure a two-set lead.

It’s a long, long way back for seven-time champion, Novak Djokovic from here.

Sinner gets a thumbs up from Novak for a wonderful crosscourt lob on the run.

It’s the best he can muster, however, as Djoker poses the serve-out question for a quick-fire hold to 15.

Sinner zaps down a trio of aces to finish and moves into double figures in that category as he consolidates to love with real panache.

Djokovic knows his second serve is getting the treatment and double faults trying to over-press.

The seventh seed feels the heat at 0-30 and is delighted to see Jannik fail to connect with his counter-punched forehand on the run.

Sinner comes again and a ferocious crosscourt backhand winner conjures up two more break points.

Djokovic digs out a low crosscourt backhand from a rasping return to knock away the first but is unlocked on the second by a velvety crosscourt dropper from the defending champion.

Sinner wobbles with a pair of miscued forehands as Novak adds some intensity to his groundstrokes.

The defending champion responds with a gigantic serve down the T followed by a crisp backhand put-away, but is relieved to see a Nole backhand up the line land just wide.

The Italian plants down a timely ace and gets out of dodge when some extra zip on his own forehand leads to Novak leaking one long.

Sinner twice turns a rally in his favour with a relentless heavy ball and Nole falters to cough up two break points when a tired forehand fires way long.

The 24-time Major winner survives one when Jannik wallops a forehand way beyond the baseline and makes deuce with a clutch first serve.

The Serb hangs tough from there and secures the hold when the Italian fires way long and gives his team an anxious look.

Djokovic collapses to his knees as he makes a hash of a re-drop and sees the ball slip into the net.

It comes at Pulp (30-30) after Sinner had hit back from 15-30 with a thumping wide ace.

The Serb can’t keep the heat on and looks hugely disappointed when a deep backhand down the line lands just out.