Carlos Alcaraz’s semi-final opponent Taylor Fritz sends warning to Wimbledon champion

Carlos Alcaraz’s next opponent Taylor Fritz has issued a warning to the Wimbledon champion ahead of their semi-final clash at the All England Club.

Alcaraz is just two wins away from a third successive Wimbledon title after he thumped Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie in straight sets.

There have been questions over Alcaraz’s form in SW19 after he was taken to five sets by the retiring Fabio Fognini and went behind against Andrey Rublev.

But the 22-year-old was at his scintillating best as he dropped just eight games on his way to an emphatic straight-sets victory over Great Britain’s last remaining Wimbledon hope.

Fritz stands between Alcaraz and the Wimbledon final after the American fifth seed defeated Karen Khachanov in his quarter-final tie.

World number four Fritz had to overcome two gruelling five-setters in his opening two games but has enjoyed a more straightforward run since then.

Alcaraz has won his two previous meetings with Fritz but the big-serving American hopes the grass courts of Wimbledon can be an ‘equaliser’ when they meet on Friday and says ‘there’s not much’ his opponents can do if he plays his best tennis.

Asked about facing Alcaraz before the Spaniard beat Norrie, Fritz said: ‘Well, if it’s him, I’m happy. I’m happy that we’re not playing on clay at the French Open because that would be an absolute nightmare!

‘I think grass is very much so an equaliser. It can be an equaliser. So I’m going to trust how I’m playing. I truly know the way that I played the first two sets today, there’s not much any opponent on the other side can do.’

Fritz reached the final of his home Grand Slam last year but came up against an inspired Jannik Sinner, who he could yet meet at Wimbledon.

‘That run has given me a lot of confidence in those moments and situations, just having been there, that I can do it again,’ said Fritz, who won his fourth Eastbourne title on the grass in the run-up to Wimbledon.

‘I’ve said this a couple times, but I feel like other years that I was in the quarter-finals here specifically, it felt like a really big deal for me.

‘But going into the match today, I was much more calm and relaxed. It didn’t feel like that, just having the experience of making some deep runs in some slams over the last couple of years.

‘I think the same goes for having that run at the US Open. It gives me a lot of confidence that I’ve been here before, and I’ve played the pressure matches.’

While Fritz is more than content with his game going into his Wimbledon semi-final, the same can be said for Alcaraz, who appears to be peaking at the right time.

‘I am really happy,’ he said after outclassing Norrie. ‘To be able to play another semi-final here at Wimbledon is really special.

‘I want to go as far as I can and I am really happy with the level I played today against a really difficult player like Cam.

‘He is an amazing guy. No one works harder than him and it is nice to see him fighting for great things.’

On the threat of semi-final opponent Fritz, five-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz added: ‘He is playing great. Grass works for him and he has been successful so far on it.

‘I am going to be ready for that battle. I have played him a few times and he is tough. I will try to play similar to how I did today. I will focus but first, I want to enjoy this moment.’

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