Reuters/NAN
London: Carlos Alcaraz had warned that facing Cameron Norrie could be a nightmare, and for a moment on Tuesday, it looked like the defending Wimbledon champion might be in for a fright.
The Spaniard stumbled early, trailing 0-40 in his opening service game on Centre Court.
Any chance of an upset, however, was swiftly dashed as Alcaraz roared to a commanding 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 quarter-final victory — one that should send a shudder down the spine of anyone hoping to dethrone him.
With hundreds of empty seats at the start — fans still trickling back after Aryna Sabalenka’s drawn-out quarter-final — Alcaraz wasted no time asserting his dominance.
By the time the crowd returned to rally behind Britain’s last remaining singles hope, the second seed had blazed through the first set in 28 minutes, dazzling with his trademark blend of power and flair.
Norrie, unseeded and unorthodox, did his best to resist. He even raised his arms in mock celebration after holding serve late in the third set.
But the outcome was never in doubt. Alcaraz, now on a 23-match winning streak, was too good.
Alcaraz’s eighth Grand Slam semi-final will be against American Taylor Fritz.
But before he continues his quest for a third successive Wimbledon title, he has two days off owing to the All England Club schedule.
He prefers to get straight back on court, such is the momentum he is building.
When asked how he would use the time, one wag in the crowd suggested he could return to Ibiza.
It was a Balearic party island where he had let his hair down after his second successive French Open title last month.
A beaming Alcaraz, however, said something more sedate would suffice.
“I might try to go to the city centre if I have time. I want to play some golf with my team, which will be fun,” he said.
“What I have been doing so far has worked, so we will try to switch off together.”
Former semi-finalist Norrie was the second British player Alcaraz had faced during this year’s tournament, having seen off qualifier Oliver Tarvet in the second round.
Tarvet stretched him far more than left-hander Norrie, but that was during the first week in which the five-times Grand Slam champion was working through the gears.
Any hope Norrie had of becoming only the third British player to knock out the defending Wimbledon men’s champion was soon extinguished by the Spanish force of nature.
Having failed to convert four break points in the second game, Norrie gifted away his serve with a double-fault and two games later.
His tentative volley allowed Alcaraz to wind up a ferocious dipping forehand that smacked the baseline.
Alcaraz had blown hot and cold in his previous matches, but it was now the business end of the tournament, and the rest of the game became a procession.
This was as the defending champion wrapped up his 34th win from 37 matches he has played so far on grass.
“To be able to play another semi-final here at Wimbledon is special,” Alcaraz said.
“I want to go as far as I can, and I am pleased with the level I played today against a difficult player like Cam.”