Is Wimbledon rigged against Jannik Sinner? The timing of the semifinals is causing great controversy

Wimbledon has found itself at the center of controversy ahead of the men’s singles semi-finals, with fans questioning whether tournament organizers deliberately gave Jannik Sinner an advantage over Novak Djokovic.

The debate erupted after Wimbledon announced that Alexander Zverev and British wild card Arthur Fery would open play on Center Court on Friday, while the blockbuster clash between world number one Sinner and seven-times champion Djokovic was moved to the evening session.

The schedule surprised many because it breaks the usual pattern at Grand Slams. Sinner and Djokovic last played on Tuesday (July 7), giving them two full days of rest before the semi-finals, while Zverev and Fery were in action on Wednesday (July 8). Zverev actually had an even tougher journey as he resumed his rain-interrupted fourth round on Wednesday morning before returning for the quarter-finals later in the day.

SINNER vs DJOKOVIC: WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY

Despite the shorter turnaround, Zverev and Fery will play first, with Sinner and Djokovic getting a few extra hours to recover before taking the court.

The decision quickly sparked speculation online, with several fans questioning whether the scheduling was designed to favor Sinner, who had previously struggled with extreme heat. London has been experiencing unusually high temperatures throughout the week, leading some supporters to believe that a later start would allow the Italian to avoid the hottest parts of the day.

“Did Wimbledon purposely schedule Novak Djokovic-Jannik Sinner second so that Sinner would avoid the extreme heat? Players with an extra day of rest have always started the semifinals first… until now. Coincidence? Or did they do it on purpose to help Sinner?” one of the fans questioned the tournament on X.

While there is no evidence that Wimbledon has changed the schedule in favor of any of the players, the departure from the tournament’s recent schedule has fueled debate among fans ahead of one of the championship’s biggest matches.

The evening slot is also expected to attract the largest global TV audience, with the Djokovic-Sinner showdown widely tipped to be the main event of the day. Wimbledon has not publicly explained the reasons for the order of play.

The winner of the second semi-final will face either Zverev or surprise British wildcard Artur Fery in Sunday’s Wimbledon final.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

09 Jul 2026 20:17 IST