It was no stroll for the defending champion. Jannik Sinner had to fight for long stretches on Court No. 1 against Jan-Lennard Struff before prevailing 7–5, 7–6, 6–3 to reach his tenth Grand Slam semifinal. For Struff, it was the end of a remarkable tournament — a first Grand Slam quarterfinal in his career, achieved at the age of 36, stands as a testament to extraordinary perseverance.
Struff sets the tone early — Sinner battles his way back
The German came out the more aggressive of the two. Struff, who had beaten Daniil Medvedev in three sets on his way to the quarterfinal and accumulated more than 100 aces throughout the tournament, deployed his powerful serve as a weapon from the very first game. Sinner later admitted he had struggled to find his rhythm early on. Even so, he seized the decisive moment in the first set: a break to lead 6–5 put him on course, and he closed it out 7–5.
The statistics underlined Struff's serving dominance: his first-serve percentage of 50 per cent was inconsistent, yet he won 80 per cent of points on his first serve. Sinner, for his part, landed 65 per cent of first serves and won 84 per cent of those points — a level that offered virtually no opening for his opponent.
The tiebreak as turning point
Tension built steadily in the second set. Both players traded breaks early as the match swung back and forth. Then came the most dramatic moment of the day: Struff forced a set point — only for Sinner to escape with an unreturnable serve. In the tiebreak that followed, the Italian produced his best tennis of the afternoon, taking it 7–4 to claim the set. Anyone who had harboured doubts got their answer right there. Sinner visibly raised his level in the tiebreak, even though he was plagued by 26 unforced errors across the match — Struff committed an even higher 38.
The third set brought resolution. Sinner broke Struff's serve to lead 5–3, then served out the match to win 6–3. The head-to-head now stands at 4–0 in the Italian's favour — Struff has yet to beat Sinner, on grass or any other surface.
A historic footnote — and a semifinal that carries real weight
Despite the defeat, Struff leaves Wimbledon with an extraordinary story to tell: as the oldest player in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the very first time, he has left his mark on the 2026 Championships. Three five-set matches on the road to the last eight speak to a physical and mental resilience that goes far beyond the scoreline.
Sinner, meanwhile, is already looking ahead. As reigning champion — he became the first Italian ever to win Wimbledon in 2025 — he is chasing back-to-back titles. In the semifinal he will face the winner of the match between Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aliassime. A potential showdown with Djokovic on the hallowed grass of the All England Club promises another highlight — particularly with Carlos Alcaraz absent through injury, leaving Sinner's path to the title looking as clear as it has in some time.
