Carlos Alcaraz survived a blockbuster marathon of a match to reach his first final at the Australian Open. He defeated Alexander Zverev, last year’s finalist, in dramatic fashion.
Getting the chance to fight for the title. I think it has been a great tournament so far and my level is improving considerably Carlos Alcaraz
The Spanish world number 1 bounced back from the brink of defeat to thwart the German’s bid to reach the final for a year in a row and extinguish any hopes the 28-year-old might have had of winning his first major title.
And he certainly had his chances as he was on the brink of victory when leading Alvaraz 5-3 in the final set, only to falter when the top-seeded Spaniard broke him and then sprinted on to cross the finish line 6-4 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 6-7(4) 7-5 after five hours and 27 minutes of extraordinary play.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
After seemingly taking control of the semi-final by taking a two-set lead, Alcaraz appeared to suffer an injury to his upper right leg, giving Zverev the opportunity he needed to regain some confidence and get back into the match. In that respect, Alcaraz ultimately turned out to be the strongest!
“Constantly believing,” Alcaraz replied when asked how he won the match. “I always say you have to believe in yourself, no matter if you’re struggling or what you’ve been through. Whatever, you still have to believe in yourself. I was struggling in the middle of the third set. Physically it was one of the most demanding matches I’ve played in my short career.”
“I’ve been in situations like this and I knew what I had to do. I had to put my heart into the match. I think I did it and I fought until the last ball. I knew I was going to get my chances. I’m very proud of myself with the way I fought and came back in the fifth set.”
He now awaits the outcome of the second semi-final with defending champion Jannik Sinner and former champion Novak Djokovic, a ten-time winner in Melbourne.
If he goes on and becomes champion, he will be the youngest man to complete a career grand slam by winning all four majors. At the age of 22, he already has two French Open titles to his name, one at Wimbledon and two at the US Open.
If, as expected, it is Sinner who he faces on Sunday, it will be the fourth final in a row that the pair will play
“I am very happy to play my first final in Melbourne,” Alcaraz added. “It was something that I strived for a lot, pursued a lot. To have the opportunity to fight for the title. I think it’s been a great tournament so far and my level is rising tremendously. But one thing I think I’m going to say is that I couldn’t be here right now doing this interview without [the fans]. It was a pleasure to play for all of you. The way you pushed me back into the game… I’m very grateful for the support.”
The fans will have appreciated the spectacle of two players going head to head, especially Alcaraz’s performance after opening a straight set to take a lead, recovering from 2-5 down in the second with some typically stylish tennis.
And then at 4-4 in the third, the real drama began when he appeared to pull up while serving. He was treated twice by the tournament physio, but the distraction proved enough for Zverev to get back into the fight.
The big German also broke early in the decider despite Alcaraz’s aggressive play, even saving five break points as he held on and gave himself a chance to serve out at 5-4.
Carlos Alcaraz falls to the ground as he wins the match
(Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
With a tremendous effort, Alcaraz, moving freely, finally broke back and from 5-all they all swept past him to claim his allotted place in the final and he fell on his back as his stubborn opponent scored a volley on match point to maintain his five-set record: 15 won and only one lost!
Alexander Zverev was close to reaching the final
(Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
For Zverev, who at one point was only 3 points away from victory, the result was a major disappointment.
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“Incredible fight, battle. An unfortunate ending for me, but to be honest, I had absolutely nothing left in me,” Zverev admitted.
“Honestly, I think I’m way too tired to have any emotions right now, so in two days I’ll probably have more, but right now I’m just exhausted,” he added.
“I think we both pushed it to the limit, so to some extent I’m proud of myself too, the way I persevered and came back from two sets to love.
“Obviously it’s disappointing, but this is the beginning of the year, so if I keep playing like this, if I keep training the way I’m training, if I keep working on the things I’ve been working on in the offseason, I believe it’s going to be a good year for me.
“The second set, that one, I felt like I should have won,” Zverev said. “Especially in terms of serving, I didn’t play a good game. Funnily enough, I don’t regret the fifth set much because, to be honest, I held on. I was exhausted. But the second set. I think an increase, since he was one set and he started cramping in the third set, would probably have made a difference.”
Carlos Alcaraz (L) hugs Alexander Zverev (R) after their marathon match
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
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