Top seed Novak Djokovic and crowd-pleasing number two Andy Murray will try to restore order to an upset-plagued Wimbledon Championships as they head into Friday semi-finals in the role of favourites.
The task might be a tad tougher for world number one Djokovic, who takes on a fellow former grand slam champion in eighth seed Juan Del Potro.
The 2012 US Open champion Murray is given a favourite’s role as he bids to end 77 years of drought by becoming the first British champion since Fred Perry in 1936.
But he first must face high-flying Pole Jerzy Janowicz, playing the biggest event of his career and the first man from his nation to get this far at a major.
Murray came through from two sets to love down for the seventh time in his career in the quarter-final with Fernando Verdasco. He will surely be hoping that he has the game to handle the giant serve of Janowicz, ranked 22nd.
“I’m happy to be in the semis. Regardless of whether it’s been five sets or the first matches were in three sets, it makes no difference,” Murray said.
“It will be a very tough match. He has a big serve. He’s a big guy with a lot of power. He also has pretty good touch and likes to hit dropshots. He doesn’t just whack every single shot as hard as he can.” Janowicz will have to overcome the emotions which led him to burst into tears after his win over countryman Lukasz Kubot, with the pair exchanging shirts at the net, football-style.
“To play against Andy, it will be a really cool match, a really nice atmosphere there,” said Janowicz, who defeated Murray last autumn at Paris Bercy on the way to that Masters 1000 final. “For sure the crowd will not really help me, but we’ll see how it’s going to be.
“This is my first (grand slam) semi-final ever, so I don’t know what to expect. Andy’s a top player for many, many years. I was able to win one match against him last year, so I hope I’m going to be able to do it one more time.” Djokovic has gone through to the final four without losing a set. But will have to be wary of Del Potro, who played on painkillers after twisting an already injured left knee moments into his quarter-final with David Ferrer.
“I lost to Del Potro for the Olympic bronze medal here (2012). Delpo is a great player, I have a great respect for him. He’s a Grand Slam winner,” said the Serb.
“He struggled with injuries in last few years, but every time he comes back he comes back very strong because he just has this talent.
It’s semi-finals, so everything is open, on the table, and we both want to win.
“I’m trying to use the experience that I had in past,” said the 2011 champion. “I’m in the semis and hopefully I can get a step further. I’m really going to try to step out on the court and give my best to be in another final of Wimbledon.” Del Potro has won just three of 11 matches with Djokovic, winning their only meeting on grass at last year’s Olympics. But the South American remains concerned by the state of his delicate knee.
“I will need to be 100 per cent or 110 per cent against him,” he said of the Djokovic clash. “He’s the number one and a former champion here. It’s going to be more difficult match for me than the quarter-finals.
“But if I’m okay, if I do everything good to be ready for my next match, it will be exciting to play against him. I will try to be ready and do my best.”