Carlos Alcaraz reached the final of the Australian Open after defeating Alexander Zverev in a marathon semifinal, winning 6–4, 7–6 (7–5), 6–7 (3–7), 6–7 (4–7), 7–5.
The match lasted five hours and 27 minutes, making it the longest semifinal in tennis history.
After the match, Alcaraz reflected on the mental and physical challenge of the contest.
“I always say that you have to believe in yourself no matter what,” Alcaraz said. “No matter what you’re struggling with, what you’ve been through, no matter anything, you’ve got to still believe in yourself all the time.
“I was struggling in the middle of the third set. Physically, it was one of the most demanding matches that I have ever played in my short career, I would say, but I’ve been in these kinds of situations.
“I’ve been in this kind of match 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 until the last ball. I knew that I was going to have my chances. I was passionate in the fifth set, but just extremely proud of myself — the way that I felt and the way that I came back.”
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Friday’s victory gives Alcaraz the opportunity to win his seventh Grand Slam title.
The 22-year-old will face either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in the final.
