An ailing Carlos Alcaraz battled past Alexander Zverev on Friday in five epic sets to reach his first Australian Open final and move within a match of becoming the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.

The World No. 1 outlasted the German third seed 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5 over a titanic five hours and 27 minutes in hot conditions.

He will face Novak Djokovic in the final.

The 38-year-old Serb rolled back the years to battle past reigning two-time champion Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a 1.32am finish in the other semi-final to move to the brink of history.

If he next beats a player 16 years younger, Djokovic would win an all-time record 25th Grand Slam crown.

Alcaraz only narrowly avoided crashing out against Zverev after a huge fright at 4-4 in the third set when he pulled up in pain with what appeared to be cramps.

He was allowed to have treatment at the changeover, leaving Zverev furious and angrily remonstrating with officials as medical timeouts are not permitted solely for muscle cramping.

The Spaniard continued but his movement was hampered and he lost his first set of the tournament before the pickle juice kicked in and he fought on.

Despite not being at 100 percent he somehow found a way to claw back from a break down in the fifth set as the crowd roared him on to leave the German shattered.

"Believing all the time," Alcaraz, who is into his eighth major final and fourth in a row, said of how he got through.

"I always say that you have to believe in yourself no matter what, no matter what struggles you've been through, you've gotta still believe in yourself all the time.

"I was struggling in the middle of the third set. Basically it was one of the most demanding matches that I have ever played in my in my short career."

The first set went on serve with few meaningful rallies until Alcaraz unleashed a backhand winner at 3-3 to earn the first break point of the match.

Zverev held on but the Spaniard worked another break point on his next serve with the German double-faulting as the pressure mounted.

Alcaraz served out for the set but the towering German kept his cool and raised his level to earn his first break points of the match at 3-2 in the second set.

The top seed saved two but whipped a forehand long to slide 4-2 behind.

Alcaraz sensationally broke back as Zverev served at 5-3 and it went to a tense tiebreak where the World No. 1 prevailed with a scorching forehand.

But disaster struck at 4-4 in the third when Alcaraz began limping badly.

He managed to hold for 5-4 but took a medical timeout, leaving Zverev fuming, before continuing to another tiebreak where the German made his move.

Despite the problems, Alcaraz continued winning points and holding serve in set four as his movement improved and another tiebreak beckoned with the third seed again coming out on top.

Zverev broke early in the fifth to move 2-0 ahead, but he folded when serving for the match with the top seed breaking back for 5-5 and then again to seal the win.

In the late game on Friday, Sinner made a rapid start at Rod Laver Arena, breaking Djokovic's serve to race into a 3-0 lead.

The four-time major winner was in superb touch, his serve firing and his groundstrokes unerring to seal the first set.

Back came Djokovic, breaking serve for a 3-1 lead in the second set and then saving three break points for 4-1.

Djokovic sent a whipping crosscourt forehand beyond Sinner on his first set point to level the match.

Djokovic seemed to wilt midway through the third set, holding his chest briefly and then half-collapsing into his seat.

Sinner had three break points at 5-4 and nailed the set on the second one when a Djokovic lob drifted long.

But the gutsy Djokovic was not done, breaking the Sinner serve early in the fourth set as the time ticked past midnight.

They went to a deciding fifth set, and the tension went up another notch, as Sinner repeatedly squandered chances to break serve.

Djokovic was ruthless, seizing the break for 4-3, then holding, to put an 11th Melbourne final within reach.

Somehow Sinner saved two match points at 4-5 down, before Djokovic got the job done third time lucky. (AFP)
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Last updated: 2026-01-30 HKT 22:57