WIMBLEDON NEWS: Carlitos sows fear in bid for hat-trick

From the special reporter "Vijesti"

Carlos Alcaraz's demonstration of power, Arina Sabaljenka's fear, the mystery surrounding Janik Siner's injury and the controversy surrounding the technology system that replaced the linesmen - these are the things that marked the first quarterfinal day of the 138th edition of Wimbledon.

Carlitos went through the opening matches of Wimbledon with a lot of fluctuations, already in the first round he played five sets against Italian veteran Fognini, he almost won the duel with Struff in the fifth set, but as the finish approaches, as the most important matches arrive, the 22-year-old from Murcia feels more and more like he is on his own territory.

He is the modern king of Wimbledon - a two-time defending champion, he arrived in London for a hat-trick! Briton Cameron Norrie was just a warm-up for the master who "stepped up the gas" - 6:2, 6:3, 6:3.

Twenty-third consecutive win on grass for a guy who, believe it or not, has more trophies than losses on this surface in his career. Who can stop him?

- I'm happy. To be in the Wimbledon semifinals again is a really special feeling - said Alkaras.

The Spaniard felt great during the quarter-final duel, visibly in a good mood, he flirted with the audience, which returned the favor - an uninitiated person would hardly notice that the Briton was on the opposite side of the net.

So who can stop him? A big sensation should happen and it should be Taylor Fritz, his rival in the semi-finals.

- He's a great guy and he plays great tennis, I have to get ready for the battle - added Alkaras, who will try to use his day off in a different way.

- Maybe I'll play golf, maybe I'll walk to central London with my family, why not!?

While Alcaraz "escapes" Wimbledon, at least for a day, for someone who is visiting London's SW19 address for the first time, like the signatory of these lines, it feels like Alice in Wonderland.

Such spectacle, such elegance, history and tradition offered by every corner of the Wimbledon complex is difficult to absorb all in one day.

While Fritz was finishing his quarterfinal against Karen Khachanov on court number 1, Sabalenko was struggling on Central, just a two-minute walk away.

Fear was visible on the champion's face when 37-year-old German Laura Ziegemund, ranked 104th on the WTA list and the "killer" of the favorites, had a break advantage in the third set.

The Belarusian overcame that and continued her historic journey to her first Wimbledon trophy. Number 1, and she has yet to celebrate on the London grass...

- She plays so smart, and I struggled so much to find my game - Sabaljenka told the gathered journalists in the media "theater" of the Wimbledon complex.

Back to the men's singles and the question already asked - who can stop Carlos Alcaraz? The answer may lie on the other side of the draw where Novak Djokovic and Janik Siner are racing towards the semi-finals?

Their path, however, has not been strewn with roses, especially when it comes to the Italian - he beat the injured Dimitrov despite being down 2:0 in sets, and complained about the injury himself, missed training yesterday and fanned the flames: is he, and how ready is he, for tomorrow's semi-final against the dangerous American Ben Shelton?

When it comes to Novak Djokovic, who is facing another rising star, Italian Cobolli, this dilemma should be at least a little less.

Will the elegantly dressed gentlemen who were the symbol of Wimbledon return?

Wimbledon broke with a great tradition this year - the linesmen, elegantly dressed in traditional Wimbledon fashion, in blue and green jackets, "disappeared" from the court.

Their "hawk's eye" was replaced by computers, but the controversies remained. It is known that technology is not flawless, but that it makes mistakes just as often...

After an obvious computer error in the Pavlyuchenko - Kartal match in the previous round, a similar thing happened today in the Fritz - Khachanov match. In the middle of the points, while the exchange was going on and the balls were hitting the courts of the two rivals, the main arbiter said stop and ordered a replay of the points! Because the computer said out.

- There was an error, but the system is working now - said the referee.

While Wimbledon leaders reiterate that they have full confidence in the technology, rumors are increasingly common that there will be a review after the tournament - whether this would mean the return of the elegantly dressed gentlemen who Wimbledon seems to be sorely missing.

Everyone makes mistakes, but it's better for the eye to make a mistake than for the computer to make a mistake.