Alcaraz had never made it past the Melbourne quarter-finals this year, but the 22-year-old looks well placed to win the title and become the youngest man to complete a Grand Slam career.
Alcaraz replaced Sinner at the top of the world rankings with his US Open success in September, setting a level for a fortnight that most observers considered the best of his career.
The six-time champion says his performances so far at Melbourne Park have been “pretty close” to that level.
The way he defeated Australian sixth seed Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals – leaning on his greater explosive power and more agile touch – was a brutal illustration of how far ahead Alcaraz and Sinner are.
It was also a reminder of the emphasis Alcaraz has placed on improving his concentration during matches.
“It’s been one of the main goals for me to not have any ups and downs in matches,” he said.
“I just try to play at the same level and have the same concentration point after point after point.”
Zverev proved a tricky match for Alcaraz, with the pair evenly splitting their 12 previous encounters.
The 28-year-old’s gigantic serve remains his biggest weapon and was particularly evident during his victories over Alcaraz.
It has also been crucial to Zverev’s progress in Melbourne, in addition to being fully fit as he looks to reach the final for a second consecutive year.
Zverev has lost all three of his Grand Slam finals and is often accused of being too passive in the biggest matches.
“I’ve been working on my aggressive game. I’ve been working on my first shots after serve, my first forehand after serve, maybe some more serve and volley,” he said after beating Learner Tien in the quarter-finals.
“If those things work for me, I think success will come.”
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