Alexander Zverev Breaks Silence on Carlos Alcaraz’s Controversial Medical Timeout for Cramps During Australian Open Semifinal
Carlos Alcaraz improved his head-to-head record over Alexander Zverev to 7-6 after the Australian Open final.
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Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K)
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Carlos Alcaraz took a medical timeout during his semifinal match against Alexander Zverev. Sascha thought Alcaraz had cramps, and he reminded the chair umpire that players don’t take a medical timeout for cramps.
Alcaraz also threw up twice into his towel. In short, he was dealing with physical discomfort in the middle of the match after he was up 2-0. Zverev capitalized on Alcaraz’s weakness and clinched the next two sets, but it went in vain.
Alcaraz initially trailed in the fifth set, but as it progressed, he was not giving Zverev many chances. It seemed nerves got the better of the three-time Grand Slam finalist as he also committed quite a few errors toward the end of the match. At the press conference after his defeat, Zverev made his feelings known on Alcaraz’s medical timeout.
Yes, well, I had cramps, and you usually can’t ask for a medical time for cramps. It’s not my decision. I didn’t like it, but it’s not my decision. I just said it was shit. But honestly, I don’t want to talk about this right now, because I think this is one of the best battles that has ever happened in Australia. That doesn’t deserve to be the cliche right now.
Alexander Zverev said
The win helped Alcaraz improve his head-to-head record to 7-6. Before this match, they met in the semifinals of last year’s Cincinnati Masters, which the six-time Grand Slam champion won.
Alcaraz is bidding to become the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam. He will break the record of his idol, Rafael Nadal, who accomplished this feat at the age of 24 after clinching the 2010 US Open.
Alexander Zverev compares his matches against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz
It was Alexander Zverev, who two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner defeated in straight sets in last year’s Australian Open final. At the press conference, Zverev was asked to compare last year’s final against Sinner and this year’s semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz.
To be honest, I think I’m too tired to feel emotions right now, so in two days I’ll probably have more. Right now I’m exhausted. I think we both pushed ourselves to the limit, so in a way, I’m also proud of myself for holding on and coming back from two sets to zero. Of course, it’s disappointing, but it’s the start of the year. If I keep playing like this and keep training the way I do, I think it’s going to be a good year for me.
Alexander Zverev said
Alcaraz will meet the winner of the second semifinal match between Novak Djokovic and Sinner. The 22-year-old trails 4-5 in the head-to-head matchups, while against Sinner, he leads 10-6.
Alcaraz, in fact, met the Italian in three Grand Slam finals last year. After his miraculous win in the French Open final, Sinner got his revenge in the Wimbledon final, denying him the three-peat. But Sinner failed to defend his US Open title.
Alcaraz has added each of the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open to his trophy cabinet, but it was at this Australian Open that he made the semifinals for the first time. Before this year, Zverev knocked him out in the quarterfinals, while last year, it was Djokovic who eliminated him.
The semifinal against Zverev ended in five hours and 27 minutes, which has now become the longest semifinal in the history of the Grand Slam event Down Under. If Sinner beats Djokovic and later beats Alcaraz, he will join the Serb to become only the second man in the Open Era to complete a three-peat.
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