Carlos Alcaraz fought through the longest semifinal in Australian Open history to defeat Alexander Zverev and advance to the men’s singles final. The top-seeded Spaniard won 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 in a five-set contest that lasted five hours and 27 minutes on Rod Laver Arena during the evening session.
Alcaraz started strong, breaking Zverev in the opening set and holding off a tiebreaker challenge in the second. Zverev, the third seed from Germany, turned the match around by winning the next two sets in tiebreakers, forcing a decider. Alcaraz faced pressure in the fifth set but broke Zverev at 5-5 and served out the match. He hit 56 winners against 48 unforced errors, while Zverev managed 49 winners but 52 errors. Alcaraz saved multiple break points in critical games, showing resilience after an apparent injury concern earlier in the tournament.
The 22-year-old Alcaraz called the win one of his toughest, noting the physical toll. He now seeks his first Australian Open title and third Grand Slam overall. Zverev, who reached the final here in 2020, praised Alcaraz’s ability to elevate his game in the final set.
In the other semifinal, Novak Djokovic overcame defending champion Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in four hours and nine minutes. The fourth-seeded Serbian lost the first and third sets but broke Sinner in the fourth and fifth to secure victory. Djokovic, a 10-time champion in Melbourne, hit 42 winners and advances to his 11th final at the event. Sinner, the second seed from Italy, struggled with consistency after a strong start, committing 45 unforced errors.
Djokovic sets up a final against Alcaraz on February 1, a rematch of their 2023 Wimbledon final that Alcaraz won. The Serbian holds a 4-3 head-to-head edge overall.
Day 12 at Melbourne Park focused on the men’s semifinals, with over 80,000 fans attending despite humid conditions. Mixed doubles semifinals saw top seeds progress, while junior finals began with straight-set wins in boys’ and girls’ singles. The women’s final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina is set for Saturday night.
