Wimbledon 2025 quarter-finals: Alcaraz blows away Norrie, Sabalenka battles past Siegemund – as it happened | Wimbledon 2025
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With that, it’s time to wrap up the blog for today. Thanks for your company – and do join us again tomorrow for the remaining quarter-finals, with Sinner v Shelton, Cobolli v Djokovic, Andreeva v Bencic and Swiatek v Samsonova. Bye!
Despite Norrie falling well short of doing the same today, it’s still been a potentially season-changing tournament for the British No 3, who can hopefully build on this quarter-final appearance after a 12 months in which he fell down the rankings because of issues with injury, illness and confidence. It was a chastening defeat by Alcaraz but there have still been plenty of green shoots on the grass for the 29-year-old.
Alcaraz isn’t the only winner this evening: congratulations to Robin Paterson, Rosemary Cooper, Richard Hirst, Anthony Macqueen, Lucy Laville, Tim Reston, Andreas Jones-Fernandez and Julie Wilson for naming Roger Taylor (not the Queen drummer) as the other British man apart from Tim Henman to knock out a defending Wimbledon champion in the open era. Taylor toppled Rod Laver in 1970, ending the Australian’s decade-long unbeaten run at SW19.
Alcaraz, with his cardigan on, a la Federer of 2008, speaks. “He’s an amazing player and an amazing guy. Nobody works harder than him,” he says of Norrie. What about Fritz in the semis? “He’s been really successful on grass [this summer] with two titles. I will try to play the same level as today. But right now I just want to enjoy this moment.” Alcaraz then says he’ll relax with some more golf. But with his team – not his weekend conqueror Andy Murray.
Alcaraz beats Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
Alcaraz, from 30-all, advances to his second match point. And the two-times defending champion sends down a stinging serve to book his place in a third consecutive Wimbledon semi-final and put Norrie out of his misery! It’s a 23rd match win on the spin. The Wimbledon three-peat is still on. And if he wasn’t already, that performance has shown he’s very much the man to beat from here on in. Alcaraz will play Fritz next. And British interest in the singles is over.
Third set: Norrie 2-6, 3-6, 3-5 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)
Norrie does, at least, recover from 0-30 to 30-all. But then it’s 30-40, match point, cue a collective Centre Court sigh. Alcaraz overcooks his forehand, deuce. Norrie gets to his advantage, but has to send down about 345 smashes to put Alcaraz away. And a rare drop shot error from Alcaraz and Norrie lives to fight another day! Or probably only one more game.
Alcaraz breaks: Norrie* 2-6, 3-6, 2-5 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)
The beginning of the end for Norrie as he slumps 0-40 down. Alcaraz nets on the first break point but Norrie errs on the second. And Alcaraz consolidates the break to 15. Norrie sits down at the changeover and looks absolutely broken. Usually the most scrappy and niggly of opponents, he’s had absolutely no answer to Alcaraz’s dominance, and after only an hour and 30 minutes must hold serve to extend Alcaraz any longer.
Third set: Norrie* 2-6, 3-6, 2-3 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)
A rare eruption from the crowd as the left-hander Norrie hits a classy backhand drop shot for 30-15. He rattles off the next two points for 2-2. And Norrie is skipping back to his chair as if he, not Alcaraz, is two sets to love up. But Alcaraz, for sure playing his best tennis of the fortnight in this quarter-final, quickly puts Norrie back in his place with a hold to love.
Third set: Norrie* 2-6, 3-6, 0-1 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)
The masterclass continues as Alcaraz opens the third set with an easy hold. His smile is usually as wide as Centre Court but he’s barely even celebrating; this has been too straightforward. The crowd, meanwhile, including Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber, are a little muted. They’re admiring of Alcaraz’s mastery but of course they’re disappointed that the British challenger isn’t making more of a match of this.
Alcaraz breaks again to win the second set 6-3
Alcaraz holds for 5-3 as the shadows move over Centre Court. He looks set to put Norrie firmly in the shade as he advances to 15-30 on Norrie’s serve, and then 30-40, set point. Norrie nets a backhand and that’s that. The defending champion is in imperious control and is a set away from the last four.
Second set: Norrie 2-6, 3-4 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)
Norrie holds. Alcaraz holds. Norrie holds. And some emails. “Andy Murray,” declares Elizabeth McGlynn in response to this teaser. Wrong answer. “Tim Henman,” says Colin Armstrong. Well done Colin – Henman ousted Richard Krajicek in 1997 in the last 16. But who was the other British man to knock out a reigning Wimbledon champion in the open era? Not that it looks as if there’ll be a third Brit achieving that feat now today …
Second set: Norrie* 2-6, 1-3 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)
Back on Centre Court, the second set is going exactly the way of the first, with Alcaraz breaking in the third game, when he reads the drop shot and gives Norrie a taste of his own medicine. So there’s hardly been any of the Norrie fist-pumping and vamosing that was irking Jarry in the fourth round – virtually all the first-pumping and vamosing is coming from Alcaraz today. Alcaraz then consolidates the break for 3-1. Norrie is being outclassed.
With her nephew in her arms during the on-court interview, Anisimova says it’s “super special”. Having taken a break from the game and been through so much since her first Wimbledon quarter-final in 2022, the 23-year-old says it’s been an “extraordinary year … I just keep telling myself to enjoy the moment”. Next week she’ll break into the top 10 for the very first time … and she could still do so as the Wimbledon champion.
Anisimova beats Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6 (9)
… now 10-9 Anisimova, a fourth match point. And Pavlyuchenkova plonks her return into the net and Anisimova collapses on to the grass! The American has squeezed through the second set and is into her first Wimbledon semi-final, where she’ll face Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday.
Pavlyuchenkova, perhaps inspired by her fellow 30-something Siegemund’s fight against Sabalenka earlier, is right back in it, with three set points at 6-3. The first two come and go … and then Pavlyuchenkova meekly dumps into the net on the third! Both players have now blinked while ahead in this set. So what will happen now it’s 6-6? Pavlyuchenkova crushes a return for 7-6 … but whacks wide for 7-7. The Russian gets a fifth set point when Anisimova nets her return. But again she can’t take it. Now Anisimova has a third match point, about 20 minutes after her last, and this disappears too! It’s 9-9 …
Over on No 1 Court, Anisimova, having missed two match points against Pavlyuchenkova at 6-1 5-4, is into a second-set tie-break. They’re locked at 3-3 as they change ends …
Alcaraz wins the first set 6-2
Alcaraz holds. Norrie holds. And that means Alcaraz is serving for the first set. The defending champ swiftly brings up 40-15, and he settles it with a simple forehand volley. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Alcaraz breaks again: Norrie 1-4 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)
Again Alcaraz gets himself out of a little serving hole, from 0-30 behind, to consolidate the break. And Norrie is reeling when Alcaraz turns on the style to claim the double break with a forehand pass! Norrie needed to get himself ahead on the scoreboard to really get his home crowd going – instead they’re kicking back in the late afternoon sun, applauding and admiring the Spanish showman.
Alcaraz breaks: Norrie 1-2 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)
Norrie opens with a hold from 15-30 down – before racing to 0-40 on Alcaraz’s serve for six points on the spin. Then it’s Alcaraz’s turn to surge back, saving those three break points and then a fourth for 1-1. And Alcaraz makes Norrie pay for those missed chances by immediately breaking for 2-1 when Norrie coughs up a double fault.
Quiz time. Only twice in the open era has a Wimbledon’s reigning men’s champion been knocked out by a British player. Can you name the British conquerors? Answers on a postcard. Or just send them here.
Norrie has actually beaten Alcaraz in two of their past three matches – in Cincinnati and Rio de Janeiro – but this will be their first meeting on grass. “Facing Cam is always really difficult,” says Alcaraz. “We have had some battles. For me facing him is almost a nightmare. I’m not surprised he is playing great here: when he lost at Queen’s he stayed for five days practising morning, afternoon and night.”
Sabalenka’s victory means it’s nearly showtime between Cameron Norrie and Carlos Alcaraz. Norrie is the most modest and unassuming characters off court, but the British No 3 made plenty of headlines for getting under Nicolas Jarry’s skin in the previous round, with his rule-stretching ball bouncing and propensity to celebrate his opponent’s errors with some very loud vamoses – call it shithousery if you like – and he’ll need all of that today against the two-times defending champion, who’s on a 22-match winning streak, which takes in the French Open and Queen’s titles.
A match report for you:
And some highlights too:
Anisimova wins the first set 6-1
It’s a more modern-day brand of tennis on No 1 Court, where the American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova has overpowered Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to take the first set 6-1 in only 27 minutes. Pavlyuchenkova was furious in her fourth-round match against Sonay Kartal when the British No 3 won a game she shouldn’t have after the electronic line-calling system was accidentally switched off – but she can have no complaints here. She’s been outclassed so far.
“You used to do that to me all the time!” screams Tracy Austin at Billie Jean King as they discuss Siegemund slicing nearly half of her forehands in that deciding set. It really was a grass-court throwback by the 37-year-old German, who should be applauded for playing her part in an absorbing quarter-final.
Sabalenka looks absolutely spent.
Honestly I need some time to cool down and recover. She pushed me so much. After the first set I was looking at my box thinking: ‘Book my tickets, we’re about to leave this beautiful city, country, place.’ The atmosphere was another level. You don’t understand how much you helped me to keep fighting.
[Siegemund has] a smart game. She is really making everyone work against her, you have to work for every point. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big server, big hitter, you have to work, you have to run and earn the win. I didn’t want her to see I was annoyed by her, even if I was a little big at some points, I was trying not to give her that energy.
Sabalenka defeats Siegemund 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Cometh the clutch moment, cometh the champion, as Sabalenka moves to 0-15, 0-30 … but she goes for broke on a return and bashes the net. 15-30 … but Siegemund prods long and it’s 15-40, two match points. Siegemund wins a heart-in-your-mouth first match point, as she drop shots off Sabalenka’s drop shot … but Sabalenka secures the second with an emphatic smash! Sabalenka has survived the diciest and sliciest of tactical tests to advance to her third Wimbledon semi-final. “I suspect she feels like she has played all four quarter-finals,” says Sam Smith on the BBC.
Third set: Sabalenka 4-6, 6-2, 5-4 Siegemund*
The umpire is telling off a spectator for making too much noise between first and second serves. It’s not as loud as the noise Sabalenka makes when she holds to 15. Having waited nearly three hours for an ace, two come along at once to help her edge 5-4 ahead. It means Siegemund, having been the frontrunner for most of this match, must now hold serve to stay in this quarter-final.
Sabalenka breaks back: Sabalenka* 4-6, 6-2, 4-4 Siegemund
Despite that self-flagellation, credit to Sabalenka for the way she’s generally managed to control her emotions this afternoon, having been unable to do so during her French Open final defeat by Coco Gauff last month. She appears to have learned her lesson. And she steadies herself to come from 40-30 down on Siegemund’s serve to get to break point when a slice-off ends in Sabalenka’s favour. She’s playing Siegemund at her own game. Siegemund has sliced nearly 50% of her forehands in this deciding set. Sabalenka doesn’t take the first BP but soon has a second, which she seizes on. There’s yet another twist in this titanic tussle.
Siegemund breaks: Sabalenka 4-6, 6-2, 3-4 Siegemund*
Another break on Centre Court! Sabalenka is able to fend off the first break point at 30-40 – but then double faults at her advantage to give Siegemund renewed hope. And Sabalenka is slapping herself on the forehead after slapping into the net on the second break point. The world No 1 has got it all to do again.
As Bryan said, Fritz is only the third American man to reach the last four since Andy Roddick made the final in 2009. Could he become the first to win a slam since Roddick at the US Open in 2003 and to win Wimbledon since Pete Sampras back in 2000? He’s certainly in the form of his life on grass, but with a likely semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz to come – and then possibly Sinner or Djokovic in the final, it’s a big, big ask. But Fritz probably won’t be focusing on that right now – he deserves to celebrate finally being in the last four after his quarter-final heartbreakers against Nadal in 2022 and Musetti in 2024.
Thanks Bryan. Let’s get some quotes from a triumphant Taylor, before focusing on the denouement on Centre Court:
The match was going so well for me for two sets. I’ve never had a match flip so quickly, so I’m happy with how I came back. Momentum was not going to be on my side going into a fifth set.
I’ve never had a match change so drastically where I felt so in control, serving great, putting pressure on his serve. I felt I couldn’t miss and then all of a sudden I’m making a ton of mistakes. I had to fight to get that break back in the fourth and get the match back to neutral.
It’s an amazing feeling. Having played the quarter-finals here twice and lost in five twice, I don’t think I could’ve taken another one. I’m really happy.
Sabalenka breaks: Third set: *Sabalenka 4-6, 6-2, 3-3 Siegemund
The world No 1 has broken back for 3-all in the decider, her pace and power making the difference and Siegemund’s serve begins to betray her. And with that, I’ll hand back to Katy for what should be a gripping conclusion.
Siegemund breaks: Third set: *Sabalenka 4-6, 6-2, 1-3 Siegemund
Upset alert on Centre Court. After breaking the world No 1 at love to nose ahead in the decider, Siegemund held from love-30 down to consolidate.
Fritz wins 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4)
Fritz has seen off Khachanov in four sets to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time. The No 5 seed got off to a flying start in the tiebreaker, crunching aces on his first three service points and nabbing the early minibreak before holding off a brief Khachanov fightback to win 7-4.
The Californian’s run comes during an outstanding grass-court season that’s already included titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne. He now leads the tour in grass wins in 2025 and has become just the third American man to reach the last four at Wimbledon since Andy Roddick’s final run in 2009, joining Sam Querrey (2017) and John Isner (2018). His 18 wins at Wimbledon are the most he’s earned at any major.
Fourth set: Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-6 Khachanov
Serving at 5-6, 30-30, Khachanov finds himself two points from elimination. But Fritz is forced into an error on a corner-to-corner baseline rally before Khachanov responds with a 125mph first serve that Fritz can’t return into play. We’re headed to a fourth-set tiebreaker on No 1 Court.
Sabalenka wins the second set 6-2
Second set: Sabalenka 4-6, 6-2 Siegemund
Sabalenka has broken Siegemund again to force a decider on Centre Court. The world No 1 made only seven unforced errors in the second set after 13 in the first.
Fourth set: Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 5-4 Khachanov* (*denotes next server)
Meanwhile on No 1 Court, Fritz broke back in the fourth game for 2-all and we’re still on serve heading into the business end of the fourth.
Second set: Sabalenka 4-6, 5-2 Siegemund* (*denotes next server)
Sabalenka backs up the break but she’s made to work for it, saving a break point with a sensational forehand slam winner to finish a highlight-reel rally. It’s the sixth of the Belarusian’s nine service games that have gone to deuce, but she’s in excellent shape here to force a decider. Siegemund to serve to stay in the second set after the change of ends.
Sabalenka breaks: Second set: *Sabalenka 4-6, 4-2 Siegemund (*denotes next server)
Thanks Katy. If the world No 1 comes back to win this quarter-final, that sixth game of the second set might go down as the turning point. She’s just won five straight points to break Siegemund from 40-0, converting the break point when the German blinked at the end of a muscular 10-shot baseline rally.
Siegemund holds to love for 2-2 and Fritz’s flump continues as he’s broken at the start of the fourth set, despite another blow for AI as the electronic line-calling system incorrectly calls a Khachanov forehand out. They replay the point and Khachanov still breaks. And with that, I’ll hand you over to Bryan for the next hour or so …
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