Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, saw his quest for Australian Open glory end in the quarterfinals, with a four-set loss to Germany’s Alexander Zverev – 1-6, 3-6, 7-6, 4-6. Zverev will now play Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the last four, after the No. 3 seed outlasted Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz (7-6, 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4) in a marathon encounter that lasted nearly four hours.
Zverev’s victory was set up by his unerring accuracy with his first serve (85%), and Alcaraz, who was broken seven times in the match, was barely in the contest till the third set that he won on a tie-break. The Spanish prodigy, winner in New York in 2022 and at Wimbledon last year, had not gone past the third round in Australia in two previous attempts, and in truth, he never looked like winning against Zverev.
“We as players, we always say that New York is the most energetic Slam and the loudest and the craziest, but for me the crowd is best in Australia because in my opinion, the energy and the noise is just as loud, but I feel like the Australian crowd has real tennis knowledge,” said Zverev afterwards. “They are the most respectable crowd. It’s just the nicest to play in. They know when to be loud and know when to be quiet. I enjoy playing here. I know I’m talking too much. I’m sorry, I’m excited.”
The German’s career has been under a cloud because of domestic abuse allegations, but there was no lack of focus on his part as he powered his way into a seventh Grand Slam semi-final. Medvedev was a losing finalist in Melbourne in 2021 and 2022, and will be hoping to make his six Grand Slam final against Zverev, against whom he has won 11 of 18 previous meetings.
“I feel a bit destroyed right now,” said Medvedev after his win. “He played good, I won’t be tough on myself. I just had to try and do whatever I could. If I lose, I lose, it’s OK.”
On the women’s side of the draw, Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska became the first qualifier to make the final four of the Australian Open since Christine Dorey in 1978. Yastremska beat the Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4. Noskova had upset Iga Swiatek, the world No.1, in the third round, while Yastremska’s path to the semi-final has included victories against Markéta Vondroušová and Victoria Azarenka.
“I think it’s nice to make history because at that time (1978), I wasn’t born!” said a delighted Yastremska, who dedicated her win to the people of Ukraine. She will now face China’s Zheng Qinwen, who beat Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya 6-7, 6-3, 6-1. Zheng, the No. 12 seed, is now within two wins of emulating Li Na, her legendary compatriot who won the second of her Grand Slam titles in Melbourne exactly a decade ago.
For latest sports news: click here