After the five-set marathon, the Spaniard responds to the German’s criticism: “I did everything by the rules. It was one of the toughest matches of my career”
Tired but overjoyed, Carlos Alcaraz spoke at the end of his semifinal battle with Alexander Zverev, which he won in five sets to reach his first Australian Open final. But how is the world No. 1 doing after his on-court injury? The Spaniard recounted the incident and insisted the medical intervention was entirely proper.
“It was a really tough match. At the start, I felt something after turning around for a forehand: a twinge in my right adductor,” said the six-time Grand Slam champion. “I didn’t think it was a cramp, because the rest of my legs felt fine. I called the physical therapist to figure out what was going on. He was the one who decided to call a medical timeout. Then I received some treatment during the changeovers; I checked how my left leg was doing and it was fine—not at its best, but it was okay. I did all of this in accordance with the rules.” The pain, he added, “had started a little earlier and then increased in the following games.”
“My muscles are tight…”—Regarding his condition ahead of the final, Alcaraz doesn’t hold back: “Obviously I’m tired. My body could be in better shape, but that’s normal after five and a half hours at that level,” he says. “I’ve done everything necessary to recover: ice bath, compression. Now I’ll have a session with the physical therapist and we’ll see. I hope it’s nothing serious, but after a match like that, the muscles are tight: I just have to do everything possible to be at my best for the final.” A five-and-a-half-hour marathon at the Australian Open; he called his comeback “one of the most demanding matches” of his career, to the point of ranking it among his greatest victories. “Physically, we pushed ourselves to the limit today. The level of play in the fifth set was really, really high. I’m thrilled to have won and to be back. I rank this match number one among the best I’ve ever won,” the Spaniard declared.
“Retire? I never thought about it”—He also clarified the controversial moment at the start of the fourth set, when cameras caught him appearing to want to shake Zverev’s hand. “There wasn’t a single second when I thought about retiring,” Alcaraz assured. “I saw the video and the comments, but it was just about who should go first. That’s all.” The Murcia native explained where his unshakable conviction comes from in the toughest moments. “I hate giving up. When I was younger, I used to stop fighting in some matches. As I’ve matured, I’ve realized I hate that feeling. Every extra step, every extra second of suffering, every extra second of struggle—it’s always worth it. That’s why I fight until the very last ball and always believe I can come back in any situation.”
