This time, he could not. Despite a spirited comeback at the death, a pitiful start from the second seed left him with far too much to do against Alexander Zverev, who maintained a high level across four sets and held on in a tough fourth set to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-4 and reach the semi-final of the Australian Open.
As a result, Zverev, the sixth seed, and the third seed Daniil Medvedev will duel for a spot in the final on Sunday. Earlier in the day, Medvedev maintained his composure in uncomfortable heat, holding on against a resurgent Hubert Hurkacz to return to the semi-finals in Melbourne with a 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 win.
Alcaraz entered Rod Laver Arena favoured to crush his lower-ranked opponent, but their history underlined the potential danger ahead.
Zverev held a 4-3 record against Alcaraz, which included one of the best matches of his career to defeat the Spaniard at the 2022 French Open.
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin January 25, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin January 25, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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