World number one Jannik Sinner bowed out of Wimbledon on day nine of the Championships, but reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz roared through to the last four and Jasmine Paolini continues to fly the flag for Italy.
Sinner suffered with an illness during a five-set loss to Daniil Medvedev on Centre Court, which prevented the prospect of a fourth grand slam meeting between him and Alcaraz.
Alcaraz powered past Tommy Paul after a slow start against the Queen’s Club champion on Court One, which had played host to Donna Vekic’s two-hour-and-eight-minute battle with Lulu Sun.
The remarkable journey of qualifier Sun ended after a three-set loss but Vekic toasted a maiden last-four appearance at a grand slam at the 43rd time of asking. Paolini lies in wait after she ruthlessly dismantled Emma Navarro.
After a deluge of rain at the French Open last month, many would have hoped for sun during the Championships, especially with them being scheduled solely in July this year.
However, a wet Wimbledon has followed with rain on every day and it has caused chaos for organisers. It led on Tuesday for a revision to the scheduled mixed doubles final, which will now take place on Sunday.
Play on the outside courts on Wednesday will also begin half an hour earlier with a start time of 10.30am as All England Club chiefs desperately try to get the schedule back on track.