MELBOURNE, Australia – Carlos Alcaraz starred in an epic match that will be etched in the memory of tennis fans, defeating Alexander Zverev in a five-set duel. This historic victory makes him the youngest man in the Open era to reach the final of all four Grand Slams. With only 22 years old, Alcaraz seeks to become the youngest tennis player to complete a Grand Slam in his career. The road to his first Australian Open final was not easy. Alcaraz won with partial scores of 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (4) and 7-5, in a match that lasted 5 hours and 27 minutes. This match became the longest of the tournament so far and the most extensive semifinal in the history of the Australian Open, surpassing the 2009 classic between Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco. Despite being two points away from victory in the third set, in a tournament where he hadn’t dropped a set in the previous five rounds, Alcaraz showed his resilience. After receiving medical attention on his right leg, Alcaraz’s footwork was not the same. Although he initially felt that it was not cramps, but pain in a muscle, the right adductor, he required medical assistance. Despite the difficulties, he managed to overcome the third and fourth sets, and found himself at a disadvantage in the fifth after losing his serve in the first game. However, he kept the pressure on and broke when Zverev was serving for the match in the tenth game, winning the last four games.
In the final, Alcaraz will face the winner of the match between Jannik Sinner, two-time defending champion, or Novak Djokovic, who is seeking his 25th Grand Slam title. When asked how he managed to recover being so close to defeat, Alcaraz admitted to having struggled, but that he always kept the faith.I think physically we pushed ourselves to the limit today. We took our bodies to the limit. I am very happy to get the victory, to have come back. This is one of the best matches I have won.
Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz had lost only one of his last 15 matches that extended to five sets. Zverev also had a good record in this type of encounter, but this was the longest match of his career, and he admitted to being exhausted. In the ninth game of the third set, Alcaraz began to limp and touch the upper part of his right leg. After holding his serve for 5-4, he requested a medical timeout. Zverev expressed his frustration with this situation, but preferred not to speak about it, highlighting the quality of the match. Zverev, runner-up in 2025, kept his composure despite Alcaraz’s obvious discomfort and the public’s support for the Spaniard. The match went to a fifth set, the first on the center court in 2026, after more than four hours of play. Zverev got an early break, but Alcaraz responded with a spectacular point, which ignited the audience and propelled him to recover. Alcaraz finally got a break when Zverev was serving for the match at 5-4. After holding his serve and putting pressure on his opponent, Alcaraz secured the victory on his first match point. After the triumph, Alcaraz expressed his happiness at having the opportunity to play his first final in Melbourne.I’ve been in these situations, I’ve been in this type of match before, so I knew what I had to do. I had to put my heart into the match. I think I did. I fought until the last ball.
Carlos Alcaraz
