Wimbledon 2022: 5 first-time Grand Slam semifinalists at a Major for 1st time in 25 years
Eight-time champion Roger Federer and five-time winner Venus Williams have been conspicuous by their absence in Wimbledon singles this year. Meanwhile, seven-time champion Serena Williams exited in the first round for the second straight year. That has paved the way for a few surprise semifinalists to emerge.
The usual suspects in the men's draw - Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal - booked their places in the last four. However, in either half, two first-time Grand Slam semifinalists emerged - Cameron Norrie in the top half and Nick Kyrgios in the bottom.
Meanwhile, in the women's draw, 2019 champion Simona Halep is the only former winner to have reached the last four. Three other semifinalists - Ons Jabeur, Tatjana Maria and Elena Rybakina - have never reached a Major semifinal before. This marks the first time since the 1997 US Open that five first-time semifinalists have reached the last four.
With Ons Jabeur, Nick Kyrgios, Tatjana Maria, Cameron Norrie and Elena Rybakina all set to contest the semifinals at #Wimbledon this year, this is the most first-time semifinalists at a Grand Slam since the 1997 US Open.
That year at Flushing Meadows, Patrick Rafter beat Greg Rusedski in an all first-time final. In the women's final, though, Martina Hingis denied first-time finalist Venus Williams.
Will there be a first-time Major winner at Wimbledon this year?
Wimbledon 2022 is guaranteed to have at least one first-time Major finalist, as Ons Jabeur takes on Tatjana Maria in one of the ladies' singles semifinals. Rybakina could make it an all first-time Grand Slam final if she beats Halep.
However, her task appears to have been cut out, as the Romanian has not dropped a set in 10 matches during her 12-match win streak at SW19. If Halep reaches the final, she'll fancy her chances against either Jabeur or Maria.
Meanwhile, things do not look as bright for an all first-time Grand Slam final to materialize in the men's draw. That's because three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic will take on Cameron Norrie in the first semifinal.
Then there were four.
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The Serb, chasing a seventh Wimbledon title, beat Norrie for the loss of only three games in the pair's only meeting at the ATP Finals in Turin last year. Djokovic is 7-0 in Slam semifinals since losing to Dominic Thiem at Roland Garros in 2018.
In the other semifinal, Nick Kyrgios will take on Nadal as he seeks his first Major title. The Australian has split his two previous meetings with Nadal at Wimbledon. He beat the 22-time Major winner in the fourth round on his debut at SW19 in 2014. Five years later, though, Nadal avenged that defeat by beating Kyrgios in the second round.
Kyrgios will fancy his chances, as Nadal has lost in the SW19 semifinals in his last two visits and hasn't reached the final since 2011. The Spaniard also suffered an abdominal injury in his quarterfinal win over Taylor Fritz, which could hinder his movement.