An unexpected change in the schedule for the highly anticipated clash between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals is igniting the tennis community and sparking outrage among fans. The match, originally set as the first of the day on July 10, has been abruptly moved to the second match of the men's semi-finals, without any official explanation from the tournament organizers.
According to the new order of play, British player Arthur Fery will kick off the action on Centre Court against Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev on Friday. The clash between Sinner, the top seed, and Djokovic, a multiple tournament winner, will take place only after that. The start time for matches on Centre Court is scheduled for 1:30 PM (London time).
This decision goes against Wimbledon’s usual tradition, where players with an extra day of rest are typically the first to take the court in the semi-finals. In this case, it would have been Djokovic and Sinner leading off, but the alternative scheduling has generated an immediate and negative reaction from fans, who have not hidden their displeasure on social media.
Interestingly, this change may benefit the British wildcard. Had Sinner and Djokovic opened Centre Court, a potential five-set marathon—similar to the one that occurred in the Australian Open semi-final in January—could have disrupted Fery’s entire preparation. As it stands, the young Briton will have a clearer and more predictable path to his match, which could be an advantage against an opponent with Zverev's experience, who has already made eleven appearances in Grand Slam semi-finals.
Despite both matches being scheduled to take place without delays, fans' attention turned to the sudden change in order. Criticism quickly emerged on X (formerly Twitter), with one fan stating: “What the hell, they usually put first the players who played the quarter-finals on Tuesday, this makes no sense.” Another user added: “This is surprising. Of course, Djokovic vs Sinner is a marquee match, it makes sense, but since they played a day earlier, the first match should be between them.”
The controversy did not stop at the surprise of the change. Several fans suggested that the new scheduling could favor Sinner, due to his history of physical issues in adverse conditions. A more pointed comment read: “Shameful. Putting the British player to play during working hours just to protect someone from cramps due to lack of physical preparation. This is modern sport.” It is worth noting that Sinner suffered from cramps in extreme heat at this year's Australian Open, although he managed to overcome American Eliot Spizzirri.
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The decision by Wimbledon also brought to light the episode from last year's Cincinnati Open, where Sinner was forced to withdraw from the final against Carlos Alcaraz due to physical problems, leading many to believe there was favoritism in the choice of scheduling.
As the discussion intensified on social media and behind the scenes at the All England Club, the unexpected change in scheduling became the dominant topic in the lead-up to the semi-finals, overshadowing even the shine of the protagonists on the court.
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