Carlos Alcaraz outlasted Alexander Zverev in a nearly 5 1/2 hour marathon match.
Carlos Alcaraz wins an insane marathon in the Australian Open semifinal vs Alexander Zverev!
Patrick McEnroe and John McEnroe had the call for ESPN. 🎾🔥🎙️ #AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/LNMpRpmDZi
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 30, 2026
Alcaraz won the first two sets and was on his way to winning in straight sets when the match produced its controversial moment.
Alcaraz took a medical timeout at 5-4 in the third set, a game away from victory, which Zverev claimed was not justified as it appeared that he was suffering from cramps.
Zverev left the on court officials know his thoughts in German and English with a lot of profanity and surprising candor, claiming that they protect them, presumably alluding to Alcaraz and Sinner.
It’s unclear whether Carlos Alcaraz tweaked a muscle or is dealing with cramps
Alexander Zverev is LIVID at the fact he might have just gotten a medical timeout for cramps
— Barstool Tennis (@StoolTennis) January 30, 2026
Following the controversy, Alexander Zverev went on to win the third and fourth sets in tiebreakers.
How Did Carlos Alcaraz Do It?
Alcaraz lost the opening game on his serve in the fifth set. Zverev was the stronger player throughout the fifth set. He pushed Alcaraz to his absolute limits, held serve amid multiple break chances, until the latter stages of the match.
When it looked all but over yet again, Alcaraz broke Zverev at 4-5 as Zverev served for the match.
At the five hour point, he played with incredible accuracy and looked phyiscally fresh when he could not have been.
Carlos Alcaraz hits one of the shots of the tournament 😳 pic.twitter.com/gEk5daMd9b
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 30, 2026
This match had the quality and drama of a Grand Slam final.
Alcaraz cited his belief when asked by Jim Courier after the match how he did it.
He also thanked the crowd for lifting him up.
Alcaraz will be in a race to recover from this grueling match. He awaits the winner of the Jannik Sinner vs. Novak Djokovic semifinal.
He is aspiring to achieve the career Grand Slam with an Australian Open victory on Sunday. Alcaraz would be the youngest to do it and the 13th player in history; Novak Djokovic was the last to achieve the career Grand Slam in 2016. He is also trying to win his first Grand Slam title since breaking with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero last month.
Many Will Debate The Medical Timeout
Alcaraz has always exhibited the utmost sportsmanship. It seems highly unlikely that he would ask for a medical timeout unless he thought there was something more than cramps going on.
Recent injuries to Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti indicate that the chair umpire could choose to err on the side of caution in granting the timeout.
Zverev extended and nearly won the match after the timeout which occured hours before the match concluded.
