Carlos Alcaraz has booked a date with destiny after hauling his body across the line to survive third seed Alexander Zverev in the longest Australian Open semifinal in history.
In his 10th major semifinal – his first at Melbourne Park – Alcaraz was in a commanding position at two sets up before his body began to fail him just two games from victory.
The world No.1 drew on all his mental and physical reserves to prevail 6-4 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 6-7(4) 7-5 and become the youngest player to reach all four major finals in the Open era.
In the third-longest match at Melbourne Park, the five-hour, 27-minute triumph kept the Spaniard’s bid for the career Grand Slam afloat.
Two-time reigning champion Jannik Sinner or 10-time champion Novak Djokovic stand between him and a seventh Grand Slam trophy on Sunday.
“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 gotta 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 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, you know, in the fifth set, but just extremely proud about myself, the way that I felt and the way that I came back.”
Vying for his fourth Grand Slam final, Zverev had not toppled a world No.1 since Novak Djokovic in 2021 and if he was to do so against the incumbent, he needed to push through uncharted territory.
Not since the second round at Roland Garros in 2022 against Sebastian Baez had he recovered to win from two sets down, and he had only done it three times in 37 five-set matches.
This, though, was a different calibre of opponent and when Alcaraz’s sterling record was factored in, the odds dramatically lengthened.
The world No.1 had never lost after taking a two-set lead, and he put himself in the box seat to preserve that statistic when he reeled off the final three points of the second-set tiebreak.
Zverev, who had beaten the Spaniard in the quarterfinals two years ago, somehow needed to convince himself this was a hole from which he could still dig his way out.
Mental exhaustion compounded any physical exertion at this point – a struggle to find answers against such a relentless onslaught.
Little did he realise just what his opponent was enduring when victory was within reach.
No sooner had Zverev landed an eighth ace to keep him in touch at 4-all in the third, than Alcaraz began grasping at his upper right leg.
Having rapidly lost all leg drive, the Spaniard reverted to drop shots and went for broke in a bid to shorten points, but concern was written all over his face after receiving treatment at the change of ends at 5-4.
Before the cramps set in, his average first-serve speed was 204km/h and his leg drive 2.31 metres per second. Once the cramps took hold his average first-serve speed fell to 177km/h and leg drive to 1.46 metres per second.
Valiantly trying to keep himself in the hunt, there were signs the pickle juice was doing its job when Alcaraz fended off two break points to level at 3-all in the fourth and with more pep in his step, he forced a third straight tiebreak at the four-hour mark.
Keeping the wounded warrior at bay was a formidable challenge, but Zverev managed to hold his concentration to force the first five-set match at Rod Laver Arena this year before an immediate break in the fifth had him in front for the first time.
Desperate to summon something in reserve, Alcaraz turned to the packed arena.
Gesticulating with a raised fist after each hold, he whipped the crowd into a frenzy as if victorious when he broke as Zverev served for the match.
After four games on the trot, any questions of durability under stress at Rod Laver Arena were silenced after he secured his place in an eighth Grand Slam final.