Melbourne, Jan 30 (UNI) World No 3 Alexander Zverev erupted in anger during a marathon Australian Open semifinal against World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz, accusing the tour of “protecting” the top stars after the Spaniard took a controversial medical timeout.
The drama unfolded in the third set of the five-hour epic at the Melbourne Park courts. Zverev, having stormed to a two-set lead, seemed poised to serve for the match, only for Alcaraz to rally from physical distress, eventually claiming victory 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-7 (4-7), 7-5 in the longest Australian Open semifinal in history.
The spark for Zverev’s fury came when Alcaraz appeared to struggle with cramping in the sweltering Melbourne heat. After a point at 4-4 in the third set, Alcaraz took time to stretch his groin, and later summoned the physio for a thigh massage. Chair umpire Marijana Veljovic allowed the timeout, prompting Zverev to confront Grand Slam supervisor Andreas Egli, repeatedly shouting in English and German that the cramp should not warrant medical attention.
“He has cramp! He can’t take a medical, he is cramping. What else should it be? This is … (unparliamentary word). You cannot be serious,” Zverev fumed, accusing the tour of favoring Alcaraz and fellow top-two star Jannik Sinner. “You are protecting both of them. Unbelievable. This is not possible.”
The controversy taps into a grey area in tennis rules: cramping is officially not recognized as a condition eligible for medical timeouts, but can blur the line when players fear injury. Former coach Miles Maclagan noted, “From Zverev’s point of view, he is viewing it as cramp, and wants to press the pace… Whether it’s cramp or not, it’s because of the duress Zverev put him under.”
Alcaraz, meanwhile, battled through the setback, using pickle juice and physiotherapy to manage his symptoms, but dropped the third and fourth sets before triumphing in a gripping decider. “I always say you have to believe in yourself, no matter the struggles… I put my heart into it until the last ball. I’m extremely proud of myself,” the Spaniard said, visibly exhausted but elated.
The win sets Alcaraz up for his first Australian Open final, where he will chase a career Grand Slam after previous victories in Paris, London, and New York. Zverev, six-time Grand Slam champion, will be left to rue a match where physical endurance, timing, and perceived leniency turned the tide against him.
Alcaraz’s brother, Alvaro, even carried his tennis bags off the court, underscoring the titanic effort required. His opponent on Sunday will be determined by the second semifinal between Sinner and Novak Djokovic.
The episode has ignited fresh debate about medical timeouts, fairness, and whether tennis’ elite players receive implicit protection- a storyline that will linger well beyond the confines of Melbourne Park.
