London, July 11 (IANS) Carlos Alcaraz continues to carve his legacy at Wimbledon, after beating Taylor Fritz in a thrilling four-set semifinal on Friday, winning 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) to reach his third consecutive final at The Championships.

The two-time defending champion was pushed to the limit by the American fifth seed, who had arrived on the back of two five-set victories and was dreaming of becoming the first American man to reach the Wimbledon final since Andy Roddick in 2009. But Alcaraz, who has mastered the art of rising in the tightest of moments, showcased his championship mettle once again.

There was a brief wobble from the Spaniard at the end of the second set, allowing Fritz to level the match. But Alcaraz regrouped quickly, stepping up in the third with his characteristic blend of power, touch, and relentless court coverage to seize the lead once more.

The fourth set proved the most gripping, culminating in a tie-break where Fritz surged to a 6/4 lead. Two set points to force a decider. But Alcaraz, with nerves of steel and brilliance in his hands, saved both. A feathered forehand volley and a long Fritz forehand brought the scores level, and Alcaraz rattled off four straight points to close out the match — his 24th win in a row, the longest streak of his career.

With the victory, Alcaraz now stands one match away from joining a very exclusive club. Should he win Sunday’s final, he will become just the fifth man in history — and only the second in the Open Era after Bjorn Borg — to win three Wimbledon titles in a row. He is also bidding to emulate Borg's Roland Garros–Wimbledon double in consecutive years, a feat last accomplished in 1980.

Awaiting him in the final will be either World No. 1 Jannik Sinner or seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz shares riveting recent history with both. He famously saved three championship points to defeat Sinner in the five-hour Roland Garros epic last month and has beaten Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals, though trails the Serb 3-5 in head-to-head meetings.

The win pushes the Spaniard’s 2025 record to 48-5 and gives him a Tour-leading fifth title of the year following triumphs at Roland Garros, Rome, Monte-Carlo, Rotterdam, and Queen’s Club. He now leads the ATP Live Race to Turin by a whopping 2,660 points over Sinner and has firmly positioned himself for a shot at year-end No. 1 honours, even if he cannot reclaim the top ranking immediately after Wimbledon.

--IANS

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