‘I never thought I’d be in a Slam semi-final’: Kyrgios into last four with Garin win amidst more drama

As always it ended with drama. Cristian Garin was serving when match point down, Nick Kyrgios‘s return was called long – and umpire James Keothavong corrected it.

They replayed the point – and finally the Australian wrapped up the win, advancing to his first Grand Slam semi-final by defeating the Chilean 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

“I never thought I’d be in a semi-final at a Grand Slam,” Kyrgios admitted afterwards. “Honestly I thought that ship had sailed – I didn’t go about things great earlier in my career and may have wasted that little window.” At the beginning of the tournament, he said that Wimbledon was his best chance to win a Major.

And when pressed on his lack of coach, he confirmed wryly: “I don’t have a coach – I would never put that burden on someone!” He is the first unseeded man to reach the last four since 2008 and the first Wimbledon Australian male semifinalist since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005.

Nadal or Fritz next

Kyrgios, ranked No 40, will play the winner of the match between American Taylor Fritz, the No 11 seed, and Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the second seed, next.

Ahead of his victory, the Australian won against wildcard Paul Jubb (3-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-7 (3), 7-5), Serb Filip Krajinovic, the No 26 seed (6-2, 6-3, 6-1), Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the No 4 seed (6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7)) and American Brandon Nakashima (4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-2).

Garin, ranked No 43, lived his first Grand Slam quarter-final. He won against Swede lucky loser Elias Ymer (6-3, 7-5, 6-4), French lucky loser Hugo Grenier (6-3, 6-1, 6-1), American Jenson Brooksby, the No 29 seed (6-2, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4) and Australian Alex De Minaur, the No 19 seed (2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (6)) earlier in the tournament.

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Wimbledon, the other quarter finals

• Taylor Fritz vs. Rafael Nadal: wednesday
• Cameron Norrie (9) beat David Goffin: 3-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
• Novak Djokovic (1) beat Jannik Sinner (10): 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2