Carlos Alcaraz raises the bar against Alex de Minaur, cracks SF code at Australian Open | ATP tour | Tennis

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Alcaraz raises the bar vs. De Minaur, cracks SF code at Australian Open

World number 1, chasing first AO title, sets up a last-four clash with Zverev in Melbourne
January 27, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz came within two wins of completing the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open on Tuesday, reaching his first semi-final at Melbourne Park.

The world number 1 ultimately absorbed and neutralized the full force of Alex de Minaur’s newly honed attacking approach, completing a convincing 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 win in front of a lively crowd at Rod Laver Arena. Chasing his seventh major title – and his first in Melbourne – Alcaraz set up a semi-final against last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev.

“I’m just really happy with the level I’ve been playing every match since the first round,” Alcaraz said. “Every match I raised my level. I talked to my team about patience, because I want everything now. But they told me that I had to be patient, that the level would come. Today I felt really comfortable and played fantastic tennis, which I am very proud of.”

FIRST AO SEMI-FINAL ✅@carlosalcaraz becomes the 8th Spanish man in history to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

7-5, 6-2, 6-1 against Minaur.@AustraliaOpen | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/9H5MRIiLmB

— ATP tour (@atptour) January 27, 2026

De Minaur offered a glimpse of the blueprint needed to trouble the game’s elite, particularly Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but the match ultimately underlined the divide that still exists at the top level. Alcaraz struck with authority from the baseline and dictated the game with conviction as he reached the semi-finals without dropping a set.

This fortnight, the 22-year-old Spaniard aims to become only the sixth man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam, joining Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Rod Laver.

Following his fourth-round victory over Alexander Bublik, De Minaur spoke candidly about his determination to avoid becoming a “punching bag” for the top players and to improve his ability to take opponents out of position. His speed and ruthless defense have left him at career No. 6 in the PIF ATP rankings, but his comments reflect the evolution required to challenge a new generation that has claimed the past eight major titles.

De Minaur partly fulfilled that ambition. The opening set of the quarter-final featured five service breaks, with the Australian recovering from 0-3 and 3-5 deficits by taking the court and playing on his own terms. However, that resistance turned out to be temporary.

“It’s really difficult,” Alcaraz said when asked about playing De Minaur. “I started the match very well and hit the ball very well. But Alex makes you rush all the time, so you want to hit the ball as hard as you can, which is impossible against him. So from 3-0 to 4-3, 4-4 I wanted everything to be in a hurry, so I took some time, took a mental break. I was more patient until the end of the match.”

Alcaraz switched decisively and suffocated the match with ruthless ball attacks as he raced to a two-hour, 15-minute victory. The victory extended his Lexus ATP Head2Head advantage over De Minaur to 6-0, with the Australian claiming just two sets in their rivalry, which started in 2022.

After exiting the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park in 2024 and 2025, Alcaraz has now improved to a 16-4 record at the tournament, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. In the last four, he faces a rematch of his 2024 quarter-final against Zverev, which the German won in four sets.