Mertens, Zhang reach doubles final | Wimbledon updates
Barbora Krejcikova, left, and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic in action against Ukraine's Lyudmyla Kichenok and Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko during the women's doubles semifinal on day twelve of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London, Friday July 8, 2022. (John Walton/PA via AP)
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — The Latest from Wimbledon (all times local):
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8:20 p.m.
Elise Mertens will have a chance to win a second straight Wimbledon doubles title after reaching the final alongside Zhang Shuai.
The top-seeded duo beat American pair Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawczyk 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 on Centre Court.
They will play 2018 champions Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova. The Czech pair beat fourth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-2, 6-2.
Mertens teamed with Hsieh Su-wei to win last year’s final.
Krawczyk was looking for a second title at this year’s Wimbledon after teaming with Neal Skupski to win the mixed doubles on Thursday.
Both junior finals will feature an American.
In the boys’ final, Michael Zheng will face third-seeded Mili Poljicak of Croatia. In the girls’ final, top-seeded Liv Hovde will take on Luca Udvardy of Hungary.
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7:35 p.m.
Novak Djokovic avoided answering questions about what he may have ingested during a changeover in one of his matches at Wimbledon.
The six-time champion at the All England Club appeared to inhale from a white water bottle during a changeover in his fourth-round match against Tim van Rijthoven.
“Magic potion. That’s all I can say. It helps,” Djokovic responded when asked about the contents of the bottle following his semifinal victory over Cam Norrie. “You’ll find out soon, but I can’t speak about it now. You’ll find out soon.”
Djokovic will face Nick Kyrgios in Sunday’s final.
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5:53 p.m.
Novak Djokovic has reached his eighth Wimbledon final by beating Cam Norrie 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 on Centre Court.
Djokovic set up a final against Nick Kyrgios on Sunday, when the top-ranked Serb will aim for his fourth straight Wimbledon title — and seventh overall.
Kyrgios advanced to his first Grand Slam final when Rafael Nadal withdrew from the tournament Thursday with an abdominal injury.
Norrie was playing his first Grand Slam semifinal and surprisingly broke Djokovic three times in the first set, but didn’t manage a single break point after that. From 3-3 in the second set, Djokovic took control by winning 11 of the next 13 games to take a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
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3:19 p.m.
The men’s semifinal match between Novak Djokovic and Cam Norrie has started on Centre Court.
Djokovic is a six-time champion at the All England Club and is trying to reach his eighth final. Norrie is playing at this stage of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
The winner will face Nick Kyrgios in Sunday’s final. Kyrgios advanced when Rafael Nadal withdrew from the tournament because of an abdominal injury.
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1:50 p.m.
Nick Kyrgios is already feeling the nerves ahead of his first Grand Slam final.
The unseeded Australian advanced to the Wimbledon final when Rafael Nadal withdrew from the tournament because of an abdominal injury.
He says the news caused him to have a restless night.
“So many thoughts in my head about a Wimbledon final,” Kyrgios said. “That’s all I was thinking about.”
Kyrgios will face either six-time champion Novak Djokovic or Cam Norrie in Sunday’s final. Norrie is playing in the semifinals of a major tournament for the first time, but Djokovic has plenty of experience at this stage.
“That’s where Djokovic has the advantage from the get-go. He can draw from experience, he’s done it so many more times, he knows the emotions he’s going to be feeling. I don’t know that,” Kyrgios said. “I don’t know anything like that, so … It was just all running through my head, every little thought, and I just slept really bad.”
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1:30 p.m.
Novak Djokovic will play for a spot in an eighth Wimbledon final.
The six-time champion, who has won the last three titles at the All England Club, will face ninth-seeded Cam Norrie on Centre Court.
The winner will face Nick Kyrgios in Sunday’s final. Kyrgios advanced to his first Grand Slam singles final when Rafael Nadal withdrew because of an abdominal injury.
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