Kevin Anderson’s 30-club membership … and 5 other Wimbledon facts

Five facts on Friday’s Wimbledon men’s semifinals which see two-time champion Rafael Nadal face three-time winner Novak Djokovic and John Isner take on Kevin Anderson:

Over 30 club

All four semi-finalists are aged 30 or over – the first time in the Open era that the men’s singles semis at a Grand Slam have been contested exclusively by players over 30. Nadal is through to a Grand Slam semi-final for the fifth time since turning 30 while Djokovic has reached the last-four at a major for the first time since his 30th birthday.

Not you again! 

Nadal and Djokovic meet for the 52nd time.  Djokovic has the slight edge at overall Tour-level at 26-25, but Nadal ended a seven-match losing streak against the Serb at Madrid last year and also won their only meeting so far in 2018 in the semi-finals of the Rome Masters.

Nadal’s total of nine Grand Slam match-wins against Djokovic is the most that anyone has managed against the Serb, but Djokovic has also defeated Nadal at the Grand Slams more often than anybody else, with 4 victories against the Spaniard at the majors.

First time around

The winner between Kevin Anderson and John Isner will go second on the Open era list for most attempts before reaching the Wimbledon final behind Marin Cilic, who set the record last year after reaching the final on his 11th Wimbledon appearance.

Unbreakable

Isner has won 95 consecutive service games at Wimbledon this year and also leads the aces count, having served 160 aces in five matches.

Borg in Nadal’s sights

Nadal is bidding to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year for the third time and equal Bjorn Borg’s all-time record. Borg achieved the feat in three consecutive years (1978-80), while Nadal won Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back in 2008 and 2010

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