Carlos Alcaraz booked his place in the Australian Open final for the first time in his career after defeating Alexander Zverev in a gripping five set semifinal at Australian Open.
The Spanish world number one prevailed 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5 in a marathon encounter, moving to within one victory of lifting the only Grand Slam title missing from his collection.
Five set battle in Melbourne
Alcaraz, 22, overcame the challenge of the world number three in a match that lasted more than four hours and featured momentum swings, tiebreak tension and visible physical strain on both sides.
The victory sends Alcaraz into his fourth consecutive Grand Slam final, underlining his growing dominance at the top of the men’s game. Should he lift the trophy on Sunday at Rod Laver Arena, he would become the youngest player in history to complete a career Grand Slam, having already won the US Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
According to ATP data, Alcaraz is also the youngest player to reach finals at all four majors since the Open Era began.
Controversy over medical timeout
The match was not without controversy. Zverev reacted angrily late in the third set when Alcaraz took a medical timeout, citing an issue with his right leg.
Speaking to the chair umpire, the German accused officials of inconsistency in their application of the rules, saying: “It’s unbelievable that he took a medical timeout for cramps. You protect them all the time,” a remark interpreted as referring both to Alcaraz and to Jannik Sinner.
Tournament officials allowed the timeout under existing Grand Slam medical regulations, which permit treatment when a player reports acute physical discomfort. Similar rulings in recent majors have sparked debate among players and commentators about the balance between player welfare and competitive fairness.
Alcaraz will now await the winner of the second semifinal between Sinner and Novak Djokovic, a matchup that brings together the reigning Australian Open champion and one of the sport’s most successful players.
The final will be played on Sunday at Rod Laver Arena, where Alcaraz will aim to add Melbourne to his Grand Slam résumé and further cement his status as the leading figure of the new generation in men’s tennis.