Wimbledon 2022: Norrie wins epic five-setter over Goffin to reach first Major semi

It has been a breakthrough Wimbledon for a lot of players at this year’s tournament. There were hopes aplenty on the British front, too, as US Open champion Emma Raducanu topped eight Britons in the women’s draw, and there were two seeds among the nine in the men’s draw—Cam Norrie at No9.

Many of them made new personal strides: Who would forget Heather Watson, playing here for the 12th time, three times into the third round at her home tournament, but not until she was 30 years old making the fourth round.

That No10 Raducanu fell short of last year’s fourth round, and No28 seed Dan Evans did not match last year’s third round did not dampen the optimism. As many of the British players said, the camaraderie and support the Brits all shared made a huge difference to the wide base of the pyramid that Andy Murray had topped for so many years.

And by the quarter-finals, Norrie was not just still standing—having reached the fourth round and the quarters for the first time—but thriving in the spotlight. After beating No30 seed Tommy Paul, he said:

“Unfortunately I’m the last one standing. But I think it’s even more reason for everyone to get behind me. The atmosphere was great today and definitely helped me get over the line.”

Little more than a year ago, the hard-working, super-fit Brit was still hovering at around 50 in the ranks, but then won two titles from six finals, claiming the hugely prestigious Indian Wells Masters. And this season he had won two more titles, in Delray Beach and Lyon, and was also runner-up to Rafael Nadal in Acapulco.

His grass results this summer were limited, though he was runner up at Queen’s last year. However, he was gaining confidence almost before the fans’ eyes on Wimbledon’s turf. But could he take an even bigger step, and reach the semis?

On paper, his chances looked good against an unseeded David Goffin. However the fleet-footed Belgian had been a quarter-finalist here in his last appearance in 2019, was a former No7, but had been plagued by injuries, most recently to his ankle and knee.

But he was garnering the support of fans all over again with his nimble, smart play to reach the quarters in a gruelling four and a half hour win over No23 seed Frances Tiafoe. But how much did he have left in the tank against a man of Norrie’s durability?

There was nothing between them for half a dozen games, when Goffin worked a first break chance and converted for 4-2. He went on to serve out the set, 6-3, after just half an hour.

The first game of the second was a long tussle, with Norrie fighting off break point to hold. He had to do the same in the fifth, and again held, but he could not resist a third time, broken to love. But such is the fight of Norrie that he got his first break back, 4-4, and almost ran Goffin into the ground to earn two set points, converting the second, 7-5.

But Goffin seemed then to turn on a tap, 10 straight points to break twice, 4-0. Norrie got one break back in an increasingly bruising contest, but Goffin broke once more to serve out the set, 6-2.

There came a pivotal eighth game in the fourth set, Norrie with a chance to break, and he took that chance, going on to serve out the set, 6-3.

The decider was nip and tuck, but with the fans in raucous mood as the sun sank over the rim of the court, creating difficult shadows to add to the Belgian’s problems. Goffin was holder the stronger on serve, until 5-5, and Norrie cranked up the power from the baseline to break: He would serve for the match.

And after three and a half hours, he was into his first Major semi-final, 7-5.

The chants of “Norrie, Norrie!” rang around the grounds, and the tears stopped him talking. There would, it is safe to say, be celebrations around the All England Club for a few hours yet.

Just as Goffin and Norrie were entering the fourth set, on Court 1, there was also a roar from Centre Court as defending champion Novak Djokovic came through his toughest test of the tournament. Indeed after two sets, he looked in danger of losing out to the exciting 20-year-old Jannik Sinner, seeded 10, and tipped for the very top.

The young Italian’s performance in putting out another huge young star, Carlos Alcaraz, just 19 but already seeded No5, in the fourth round had been dazzling, and he carried that same form into his quarter-final against the six-time champion.

Djokovic got off to a flier with an immediate break, holding for 3-0. But Sinner lifted his level, broke back in the seventh game, and held to level at 4-4. He even had a chance to break for a 5-4 lead, but Djokovic upped his level, and instead it was the Italian who had to serve to stay in the set.

They took turns to chase to the net, eight apiece by the time Sinner held for 5-5, but the Italian was about to channel the tennis that had been so spectacular against Alcaraz: A hammering cross-court forehand on break point, and he would serve for the set.

It took him two attempts, but a bold drop-shot winner, followed by a winning serve, did the job, 7-5. Not content with that, he held to love, and then outpaced Djokovic with some blistering returns of serve to break in the second, 2-1: Centre Court was already abuzz.

The top seed steadied the ship with a crisp, clean hold for 2-3, and saved break point in the seventh game with a net-cord winner. But a double fault, and Sinner had another chance, won with a forehand off the baseline, 5-2. He went on to serve it out, 6-2.

Again, Djokovic regrouped to open the third with a love hold, as the Sinner serve began to show a few holes. The Serb could not convert a break point now, but at the second attempt, Djokovic did break to love, 3-1. He held the advantage through to 5-2 and served it out comfortably, 6-3.

He had made just three errors in that set, and upped his serving level to force the change of momentum, and that continued into the fourth, an immediate break for Djokovic, followed by another, 3-0, then a love hold, 4-0.

The Sinner serve level had dropped to 45 percent, but he battled to try and break at 2-5 down, in a 14-point game. However, after a tricky fall and ankle twist by Sinner, the champion finally took it, 6-2, as the match moved beyond three hours.

This had the feel of a stream train, now, as Djokovic broke in the third game and held to love, 3-1, in the decider. He broke again for 5-2 and would serve out the match, to love, 6-2, after three hours 35 minutes.

He explained what had helped him to galvanise his thoughts:

“For the first two sets, we had two different matches compared to the last three. He was the better player for the first two sets. I went out and had a refresh, had a toilet break, I had a little pep talk to myself in the mirror, it’s the truth.

“Sometimes when not much is happening positively for you, these things are necessary. A little break to try and regather the thoughts and reassemble.”

It marked the 26th consecutive Wimbledon match-win for Djokovic, one of the longest streaks recorded at The Championships. But he would have to wait a long while yet find out who he would play in his 11th Wimbledon semi-final: Norrie.

The two have met only once before, at the ATP Finals last November, a one-sided affair to Djokovic. This will surely be a tougher battle.