Carlos Alcaraz battled through cramps, injury concerns and shifting momentum to outlast Alexander Zverev in a gripping five-set semifinal on Friday, becoming the youngest man in the Open era to reach the finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments.
At just 22, the world No. 1 is now closing in on history, aiming to become the youngest male player to complete a career Grand Slam. He reached his maiden Australian Open final after a marathon 5-hour, 27-minute contest, prevailing 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (4), 7-5 in one of the tournament’s most dramatic matches.
Alcaraz appeared on course for a straight-sets victory when he moved within two points of winning the third set, having not dropped a set through the first five rounds. However, the contest turned in the ninth game of that set when the Spaniard began limping and showed visible discomfort in his upper right leg.
After holding serve for 5-4, Alcaraz took a medical timeout, rubbing his right thigh as the trainer administered treatment. Zverev expressed his frustration to tournament officials over the stoppage, but the break did little to halt the momentum shift. Despite restricted movement, Alcaraz continued to strike clean winners, forcing a tiebreak before Zverev seized control to extend the match.
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The German, seeded third and the 2025 Australian Open runner-up, maintained his composure even as the Rod Laver Arena crowd rallied firmly behind Alcaraz. Zverev dominated the fourth-set tiebreak to push the contest into a deciding fifth set, marking the first five-set match on centre court at the 2026 Australian Open.
Zverev struck early in the fifth, breaking Alcaraz in the opening game, but the Spaniard refused to fade. The turning point came in the sixth game when Alcaraz produced a breathtaking sprint-and-slide forehand winner, igniting the crowd and swinging the momentum once again.
Alcaraz finally broke back when Zverev served for the match at 5-4, before holding for 6-5. He sealed the victory on his first match point, breaking Zverev once more to complete an extraordinary comeback.
Alcaraz will now face either two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner or 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic, who is chasing an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam singles title. The epic afternoon battle delayed the start of the night semifinal on Rod Laver Arena.
(By PTI Inputs)
