The Australian Open semifinals delivered pure pandemonium as Carlos Alcaraz survived a cramp-riddled nightmare to outlast Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 after 5 hours 27 minutes of non-stop action. The 22-year-old phenom crumpled to the court in relief, having defied physical torment to book his final spot.
Alcaraz cruised through the first two sets, blending power and precision. Disaster struck in the third at 4-4: right-leg cramps crippled his agility. A medical pause infuriated Zverev, who sensed weakness and roared back, acing tiebreaks to force a decider. The German led by a break in the fifth, victory in sight.
Yet Alcaraz’s championship pedigree prevailed. Composed amid chaos, he adapted, enhancing his footwork and exploiting Zverev’s fatigue. A final push sealed the escape, marking an all-timer in AO lore. Up next: a Sinner-Djokovic semifinal winner, pitting youth against legend.
Zverev’s campaign had promise—he snagged the first set with an ace break—but Alcaraz’s second-set tiebreak mastery, laced with sublime drop shots, shifted tides. The world No. 1’s perfect five-set record post two-set leads endures. This Melbourne epic highlights Alcaraz’s evolution from prodigy to proven warrior.
Spectators at Rod Laver Arena were treated to resilience incarnate. Alcaraz’s journey from despair to dominance cements his status as tennis’s future king, priming an explosive final weekend.