The Japan Times - Alcaraz faces Norrie test at Wimbledon, Sabalenka eyes semi-finals

Alcaraz has not had it all his own way at this year's Wimbledon but he has stepped up a gear when it matters most.

The world number two has dropped four sets during his run to the last eight before raising his level to keep his title defence alive.

Alcaraz is aiming to join an elite group of men who have won the tournament in three straight years in the Open era -- Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

But the Spaniard knows large sections of the Centre Court crowd will be behind world number 61 Norrie, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2022.

"He's going to use the crowd to his advantage," said Alcaraz, who is on a career-best 22-match winning streak.

"I have to be really strong mentally and focused to play good tennis if I want to beat him."

Alcaraz has won 33 of his 36 Tour-level matches on grass.

The five-time Grand Slam winner's last defeat at Wimbledon came against Jannik Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.

Alcaraz headed to Ibiza to relax after winning the French Open in June and Norrie followed in his opponent's footsteps in a bid to emulate his success.

"I was telling my team, let's see if the Carlos method can work because he went to Ibiza and he won Wimby," said the last British man left in the singles tournament.

"When you come to the court fresh, and you've had a few days on the beach or a few days in the sun relaxing, you feel ready to compete again."

Sabalenka looks unstoppable as she chases a fourth Grand Slam title and her first at Wimbledon.

The Belarusian, who has never been past the Wimbledon semi-finals, has yet to drop a set as she prepares to take on 37-year-old Laura Siegemund, ranked a lowly 104th in the world.

- 'We all dream' -

Sabalenka, who lost in the Australian and French Open finals this year, is the only one of top six women's seeds still standing after a tournament of shocks.

"We all dream the same, holding the trophy, that winning moment," said Sabalenka. "It's always been my dream. I mean, I haven't achieved it yet. I had a lot of disappointments here."

Siegemund, who has lost both of her previous matches against her opponent, is under no illusions about the task facing her in her second Grand Slam quarter-final.

"She's one of the greatest players that we have and one of the most aggressive also. The only good thing about that match is that I have absolutely nothing to lose," she said.

Taylor Fritz came to Wimbledon with form on grass after winning titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne but he had a gruelling start to his campaign at the All England Club.

The US fifth seed was taken to five sets in his opening two matches but he barely worked up a sweat in his last-16 match against Jordan Thompson, with the Australian forced to retire halfway through the second set.

His quarter-final opponent Karen Khachanov, ranked 20th, has won both of their previous two meetings, though they have not met since 2020.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had to overcome the distraction of a potentially costly glitch in the electronic line-calling system in her fourth-round win over Britain's Sonay Kartal.

The Russian, 34, is playing in her 65th Grand Slam and has a tough task against 13th seed Amanda Anisimova, with the American beating her on all three occasions they have met.

S.Yamamoto--JT