Melbourne, January 30, 2026 – World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz staged a heroic comeback to defeat Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 in an epic five-hour and 27-minute semifinal at the Australian Open on Friday, securing a spot in the final.
Alcaraz, 22, appeared in control early, racing to a two-set lead, but cramps in his right quad midway through the third set dramatically shifted momentum. Zverev, the world No. 3, seized the opportunity, clawing back to force the match into a deciding fifth set. Despite being limited in movement, Alcaraz showcased resilience and determination, producing key drop shots and clutch plays to ultimately outlast the six-time Grand Slam champion.
After a tense final set, Alcaraz celebrated his victory sprawled on the Rod Laver Arena center court, calling it “one of the most demanding matches I’ve had to play in my short career” and expressing pride in his perseverance.
In the final, Alcaraz will face either defending champion Jannik Sinner or 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, who meet in the late semifinal on Friday night.
The match marked the tournament’s first five-set thriller at Rod Laver Arena this year, and was widely praised as one of the greatest matches in recent Australian Open history. After a dramatic sequence of medical timeouts, crucial tiebreaks, and momentum swings, Alcaraz kept his unbeaten record in five-set matches after leading by two sets to remain on course for his elusive first Australian Open title.