The “Carlitos” era has officially arrived in the final of Melbourne Park, but it didn’t come without a fight that pushed the boundaries of human endurance. In what will be remembered as the longest semifinal in Australian Open history, world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz survived a brutal five-set examination from Alexander Zverev on Friday. After five hours and 27 minutes of heart-stopping drama, the 22-year-old Spaniard clawed his way to a 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 victory, keeping his dream of a Career Grand Slam alive.
For the first two sets, Alcaraz appeared to be cruising toward his maiden Melbourne final. His trademark variety and explosive power left Zverev searching for answers. However, at 4-4 in the third set, the script took a terrifying turn. Alcaraz began to cramp severely, his movement suddenly wooden and his face contorted in pain. A controversial medical timeout followed one that drew the ire of Zverev, who argued the Spaniard was receiving treatment for mere fatigue but it was Alcaraz who had to figure out how to play with a body that was failing him.
Zverev, sensing blood, capitalized on the Spaniard’s reduced mobility. The German third seed showcased the form that led him to the 2024 French Open final, winning consecutive tiebreaks to drag the match into a decider. When Zverev broke early in the fifth and moved to a 5-4 lead with the match on his racket, the Rod Laver Arena crowd held its collective breath. The upset seemed inevitable.
Instead, Alcaraz produced a comeback for the ages. Moving more freely as the “pickle juice” and treatment finally kicked in, he reeled off four consecutive games. He broke Zverev at love to level at 5-5, then broke again in the 12th game, sealed by a desperate Zverev volley that caught the tape and fell back on his side.
”I always say you have to believe in yourself no matter what,” Alcaraz said, physically spent but beaming. “It was one of the most demanding matches of my career. I had to put my heart into it and fight until the last ball.”
Chief Scores:
Carlos Alcaraz def. Alexander Zverev 6–4, 7–6(5), 6–7(3), 6–7(4), 7–5
(Australian Open semifinal | 5h 27m)
