Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz returned to the semi-finals with an enthralling comeback but there will be no blockbuster showdown with Jannik Sinner after the world number one was dragged the distance and dumped out.

Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev edged out ailing world number one Jannik Sinner in a grinding five-set battle to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the second successive year.

Emotions ran high for Novak Djokovic as he angrily lashed out at Wimbledon fans following his three-set demolition job over young Dane Holger Rune in the fourth round, while it was game over for a previously indestructible Alexander Zverev.

Taylor Fritz punched a hole in Alexander Zverev’s perfect serving record at this year’s Wimbledon by producing a storming comeback from two sets down to topple the German fourth seed with a 4-6 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(3) 6-3 victory to reach the quarter-finals.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and world number one Jannik Sinner stayed on track for a blockbuster Wimbledon showdown by reaching the quarter-finals, while women’s second seed Coco Gauff was sent tumbling out.

Emma Raducanu is out of Wimbledon after being hampered by injury in the deciding set of her fourth-round match against New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun.

Top seed Iga Swiatek crashed out of Wimbledon in the biggest shock of this year’s Championships so far but Novak Djokovic avoided joining her through the exit door despite another below-par performance.

Last year’s Wimbledon semi-finalist Daniil Medvedev endured lengthy rain delays and a fightback from unseeded German Jan-Lennard Struff for a 6-1 6-3 4-6 7-6(3) victory to reach the fourth round on Saturday.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was stretched to the limit en route to the Wimbledon fourth round but world number one Jannik Sinner, his likely semi-final opponent, was unruffled as he advanced in ominous fashion at rainy Wimbledon on Friday.

When Emma Raducanu nonchalantly flicked a lob that appeared to be drifting long before it dropped inches inside the baseline to earn her a break and a hollering ovation from the Wimbledon crowd, Maria Sakkari must have known this was not going to be her day.

Novak Djokovic survived a minor scare in his hunt for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon trophy before Iga Swiatek produced a more assured display to reach the third round on an emotional Friday marked by the start of Andy Murray’s farewell.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and top seed Jannik Sinner took contrasting routes into the third round of Wimbledon but eighth seed Casper Ruud was unable to find a way through and felt the gloom on a cloudy Thursday.