Sinner and Gauff reach Wimbledon semi-finals

Defending champion Jannik Sinner ended one of the feel-good stories at this year's Wimbledon when he tamed big-serving German warrior Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5 7-6(4) 6-3 to reach the semi-finals on Tuesday.

In his 47th Grand Slam appearance, Struff had become the oldest man in the professional era to reach his first major quarter-final, at the age of 36.

Any hopes the world number 74 might have harboured of extending that run were snuffed out in brutal fashion by the Italian top seed.

Struff had served 100 thunderbolt aces to reach the quarter-finals and fired down 12 more on Tuesday but all that firepower did little to throw Sinner off his stride.

A break for a 6-5 lead in the first set was enough for the Italian to bag the set and when Struff held set point in the 10th game of the second, Sinner maintained his laser focus to produce an unreturnable serve.

Danger over and Sinner, who has failed to add to his Grand Slam tally since his triumph at the All England Club 12 months ago, steamed through the tiebreak before reaching his 10th major semi-final when Struff banged a service return long.

On the women's side, Coco Gauff fought back from a set down to reach the semi-finals for the first time after beating friend and former doubles partner Jessica Pegula 4-6 6-3 6-3 in an all-American Centre Court clash.

The seventh seed and two-time Grand Slam winner will continue her adventure as the highest ranked player left in the women's singles draw.

"Pretty insane, honestly," was Gauff's immediate reaction to the win. "Considering how I hadn't won a match on grass in two years before this tournament, I'm definitely just really happy with how I played today."

"Jess is an incredible opponent and person and playing against her is never easy. I'm just happy to get through this one today."

The match was the first between two female American top 10 seeds at Wimbledon since the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, met in the final in 2009.