Defending champion Jannik Sinner reaches the semi-finals at Wimbledon 2026 with a straight-sets win over Jan-Lennard Struff on No.1 Court

Jannik Sinner remains on course to defend his Wimbledon title after seeing off Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets.

The Italian booked a spot in his third semi-final in SW19 courtesy of a 7-5 7-6 6-3 victory on No.1 Court.

The top seed had to be patient as he broke in the 11th game before serving out a big-hitting 46-minute opener to 15.

Struff, who at 36 is the oldest male to feature in a maiden Grand Slam quarter-final, broke back early in the second, but Sinner stepped it up at the death to take a tie-break by a 7-4 scoreline.

The world number 74 resisted gamely in the third set, but was broken in the seventh, allowing the four-time Major winner to serve out to 15 on his first match point.

The top seed will face Novak Djokovic or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last four.

Sinner (95) has now surpassed Stefan Edberg (94) for the outright 10th most ATP-level match wins as World No.1, since the ATP rankings were first published in 1973.

Sinner moves 30-0 up with some hefty serves but is pegged back as Struff darts forward and shakes his racquet with unexpected belief.

It's not to be for the German as a huge serve down the T clocks up two match points and the underdog fires long on the first to allow Jannik to ease into the last four.

That could be that!

Struff has battled so hard to stay in the hunt in this third set, but he balloons a wayward forehand way off the island to cough up two break points.

The German lands the big first serve to stave off one but is undone on the second as Sinner follows up a raking backhand down the line with a scorching crosscourt forehand.

The world number one will now serve for the match.

Sinner thuds down his 16th ace of the day to close-out a hold to 30 and maintain the advantage heading into the business end of the third.

Struff lives dangerously as a double fault opens the door at 0-30.

Sinner is frustrated again as the German moves forward to pop away a volley and then lands some hefty serves to navigate his way out of choppy waters.

Jannik ticks off a love hold to keep pushing that board.

Can Struff continue to play catch-up here?

Sinner is thwarted from deuce after fluffing his lines on break point with a miscued forehand.

The world number 74 continues to be a thorn in the world number one's side here.

Sinner comes roaring back from 15-30 to stay on track early in the third.

It’s a long way back for Struff from here but he remains game to keep trying and posts a hold to 30 to return to the board.

Sinner races through a love hold to open and will be eager to try and secure an early breakthrough here as a semi-final spot grows larger on his horizon.

Sinner is relieved to see a rasping second-serve return land just long after a huge serve down the T had clocked up two set points.

It means the Italian takes the breaker 7-4 and moves two sets to the good.

Struff jabs a nervy backhand into the net to cough up the mini break and allow Sinner to move 3-1 up.

The German swats away a volley at the net but a clutch first serve sees the top seed lead at the change of ends.

Sinner stands firm with a hold to 30 to take us into a breaker.

JLS guarantees himself the minimum of a breaker as he shows grit at 30-30 to nudge free and remain in the hunt to level this match.

Sinner hits clutch mode on serve to dig out a hold and stave off set point after Struff had threatened with a crush and rush return tactic that rushed the Italian to rake a backhand wide.

More frustration for Sinner as JLS comes up clutch on serve from break point down to dodge through from deuce and apply the scoreboard pressure.

Sinner finds his Mojo on serve again and polishes off the hold to 15 with his sixth ace to ease level.

JLS takes care of his serve with welcome efficiency as he surges through a game for the loss of one point to lead heading into the business end of the second stanza.

Sinner is almost too polite as he fails to finish Struff off at the net, allowing the German to win a lovely cat and mouse with a volley down the line for 15-30.

Sinner responds but goes through the motions a bit around deuce with a pair of aces and a double fault before edging through to avoid being punished for an evident lull.