Carlos Alcaraz created history at the 2026 Australian Open after battling Alexander Zverev in the semifinal on Friday, January 30, on the Rod Laver Arena. The World No. 1 and World No. 3 engaged in a grueling five-hour-27-minute battle, struggling with pain, to secure a spot in the final on Sunday. Alcaraz showed exactly why he is the world’s top-ranked player, taking down Zverev 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 in a match that will go down in tennis folklore.
During the post-match on-court interview, Alcaraz explained how he was able to overcome the German and become the youngest player in the Open Era to reach the final of all Grand Slams.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Belief Stood Stronger Than Alexander Zverev’s Resilience
Alcaraz broke Zverev late in the first set to take it 6-4, but the German challenged him in the second set, forcing a tiebreak, but the Spaniard again prevailed, taking the set 7-6(5). However, this took a heavy toll on the World No. 1 in the third set as he took a medical timeout after leading 5-4 in the ninth game.
Zverev was furious with this, arguing with the supervisor, stating that the tournament favors them both, including Jannik Sinner in the allegations as well.
When the play resumed, Alcaraz still struggled physically and lost the third set 6-7(3) in another tiebreak. Zverev’s gameplay shone through as he served with near-perfect accuracy, levelling the match with a 7-6(4) win in the fourth set.
The German then broke the Spaniard early, taking a 5-3 lead, before Alcaraz broke Zverev twice and reeled off to win four points consecutively to win the match in five hours and 27 minutes.
During the post-match on-court interview, Zverev explained how he was able to take the match despite struggling with muscle cramps and being down in the decisive set. He said, “Believing. Believing all the time. I always say that you have to believe in yourself, no matter what struggles you’re going through. You gotta still believe in yourself all the time.”
He then described his physical struggles, stating, “I was struggling in the middle of the third set. Physically it was one of the most demanding matches I’ve ever played in my short career. But I’ve been in these kind of matches before so I knew what I had to do. I had to put my heart into the match. I think I did it. I fought til the last ball.” Even after his interview, Alcaraz signed the camera lens, writing, “Believe!!!” with a smile emoji.
“I knew I would have my chances. I was patient in the fifth set. Extremely proud of my serve and the way I came back in the 5th set,” he concluded, reflecting on his performance and the win.
When the interviewer mentioned about him chasing to become the youngest man in the Open Era to complete a Career Grand Slam, he laughed and said, “Well, thank you for putting so much pressure on me right now, I’m kidding.”
He thanked the crowd for showing immense support throughout his campaign, saying, “I’m really happy to have the chance to play my first final here. It’s something I was pursuing a lot. I think it’s been a great two weeks so far. My level has been increasing a lot. I wouldn’t be here right now without these guys. It was a real pleasure playing in front of you. The way you pushed me back into the match. The way you pushed me every time, every ball, every point. I’m really grateful for the support I got not only in this match but in the whole tournament.”
The Historic Semifinal Between Alcaraz and Zverev
This semifinal match between the World No. 1 and 3 is now the longest match of the 2026 Australian Open, taking over the Swiss legend Stan Wawrinka’s second-round match against Arthur Géa, which lasted over four hours and 33 minutes. This was also the first five-set match played on the Rod Laver Arena this year, showing the intensity of the match.
This match also became the third-longest match in the history of the Australian Open in the Open Era, right behind the 2012 Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, which lasted a whopping five hours and 53 minutes, and the second-round match between Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis in 2023, which the British won in five hours and 45 minutes.
Alcaraz now has a 7-6 lead against Zverev in the head-to-head record, after stopping the German from reaching consecutive finals. This also marks his first Australian Open final, after losing to Zverev and Djokovic in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
The Spaniard will now take on the winner of the Sinner-Djokovic semifinal, which is scheduled later today, with winning chances over the Serbian legend, while the Italian has a slight edge over Alcaraz, according to PFSN’s exclusive interactive simulator.
