London (AFP) - Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached his third successive Wimbledon final on Friday, battling to a 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (⁸⁄₆) win against American fifth seed Taylor Fritz.

With Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio watching from the stands, Alcaraz survived a titanic clash lasting two hours and 49 minutes in searing temperatures on Centre Court.

As the mercury rose close to 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit), play was interrupted by several fans taken ill, but Alcaraz kept his cool to subdue the big-serving Fritz with his sublime returns and immaculate serving of his own.

The 22-year-old will play seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic or world number one Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s final.

Alcaraz has beaten Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals and holds an 8-4 edge over Sinner in their 12 meetings.

“It was a really difficult match, as always when I play against Taylor. Even tougher with the conditions. It was really hot today,” Alcaraz said.

“I dealt with the nerves. Playing here in a semi-final is not easy. I’m really proud with the way I stayed calm and thought clearly. I’m pleased about my level.”

Back to his best after an inconsistent start to the tournament, the world number two looks in the mood to extend his reign at the All England Club.

The five-time Grand Slam champion is on a career-best 24-match winning streak since losing to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April.

That blistering run has brought him an epic French Open final triumph against Sinner and titles in Rome, Monte Carlo and at Queen’s Club.

He has won 35 of his 38 matches on grass, a golden spell including 20 successive victories at Wimbledon since losing to Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.

“I’m not thinking about the winning streak or the results at all,” he said. “This is my dream, stepping on these beautiful courts and playing tennis in the most beautiful tournament in the world.

“I just want to enjoy this moment, that I’ve got to a third final in a row. I will have time to think about Sunday.”

- Nerveless Alcaraz -

Alcaraz is one win away from becoming the fifth man in the Open era to clinch three consecutive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic.

He can also become the second-youngest player in the Open era to win six men’s Grand Slam titles after Borg reached that mark at Wimbledon in 1978 aged 22.

Fritz fell short in his bid to reach a second Grand Slam final.

The 27-year-old, a US Open runner-up last year, made a gutsy effort, but Alcaraz had won both their previous meetings and he wasted no time seizing control again.

Although grass-court specialist Fritz had slammed 95 aces on route to his first Wimbledon semi-final, Alcaraz’s returning prowess neutralised that weapon to secure a break in the first game of the match.

Alcaraz needed his eye checked midway through the set, but there was no loss of focus from the Spaniard as he held serve to take the opener.

Having dropped just four of 24 points on his serve in the first set, the Spaniard found himself under fire in the second.

Fritz pounced on a rare sloppy game from Alcaraz to take the set when the Spaniard produced an ill-timed double-fault and two costly unforced errors.

The nerveless Alcaraz was unfazed by that threat and quickly regained the momentum, running Fritz ragged with a deft drop-shot followed by a perfect lob to break in the third game of the third set.

With Alcaraz’s serve virtually flawless, he added another break for good measure to secure a two sets to one lead.

In a dramatic fourth set tie-break, Fritz went from 4-1 down to 6-4 up, only for Alcaraz to save both set points.

Alcaraz scented victory and one last flurry of piercing ground-strokes secured his latest final berth.