Carlos Alcaraz summoned extraordinary physical and mental resilience to defeat Alexander Zverev in a historic five-set marathon, securing his place in the Australian Open final for the first time.
The Spanish world number one triumphed 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-7 (4-7), 7-5 in a gripping contest lasting five hours and 27 minutes — the longest men’s semi-final in Australian Open history.
Alcaraz appeared in control after claiming the opening two sets, but the match shifted dramatically in the third set when he suffered severe cramping while serving at 4-4. Struggling to move and serve effectively, the 22-year-old required a medical timeout, much to the frustration of third seed Zverev.
The German capitalized on the momentum, pushing the contest into a decisive fifth set and even serving for victory at 5-4. Yet, fueled by the roaring Melbourne crowd, Alcaraz mounted a breathtaking comeback. He broke Zverev to level the set and relentlessly pressured the German as he served to stay in the match at 6-5. A crucial missed backhand from Zverev sealed the victory, leaving Alcaraz collapsing to the court in disbelief.
“I always say you have to believe in yourself, no matter what,” Alcaraz said after the match. “I wouldn’t be here without the crowd. The way they pushed me back into the match on every point was incredible.”
The victory keeps Alcaraz on track to make history. A win in Sunday’s final would see him become the youngest man ever to complete a career Grand Slam.
Only Novak Djokovic — chasing a record 25th major singles title — stands between Alcaraz and a potential fourth consecutive Grand Slam final showdown, this time against Jannik Sinner, who faces Djokovic later on Friday.
