Wimbledon: Heavyweights Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner advance to quarterfinals

Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner both handled challenges Sunday to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals and move one match away from another high-stakes semifinal.

Alcaraz came up with the big shots when it mattered most to hold off Ugo Humbert in a 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 win on Centre Court. Sinner withstood the big serving of No. 14 Ben Shelton for a 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (9) victory.

To reach the semifinals, Sinner will face Daniil Medvedev. The No. 5 seed advanced when No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov was forced to withdraw due to injury while trailing 5-3 in the first set.

Alcaraz beat Sinner in five sets in the French Open semifinals in June en route to his first title at Roland Garros, and the two would meet again in the last four if they win their next matches.

On Sunday, Alcaraz seemed to have his match all but won when he clinched the second set by chasing down several seemingly out-of-reach shots on set point, even falling over after hitting one forehand and quickly getting back up to get to the next ball.

Asked to describe his play on that point, Alcaraz just said: “Unbelievable, I guess.”

Sinner is into the last eight for the third year in a row, having lost to Novak Djokovic in last year’s semifinals.

Dimitrov looked in good form, racing to a 3-0 lead, before Medvedev broke back. The Bulgarian then slipped on Court 1, carrying on for a couple of games that Medvedev won before taking a medical timeout after the seventh.

He returned briefly but could not move well and called it a day after the eighth game during which Medvedev served three aces.