ATP Tour

Alcaraz: I’ll do ‘whatever it takes’ to be ready for Australian Open final

Carlos Alcaraz had to rouse every last ounce of energy to overcome Alexander Zverev on Friday in an Australian Open classic. After five hours and 27 minutes of back-and-forth semi-final action inside Rod Laver Arena, the Spaniard’s focus quickly turned to physical recovery for Sunday’s championship match.

The No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Alcaraz struggled with an injury in his upper right leg from the closing stages of the third set of his 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 triumph against Zverev. He later revealed he thought the problem was with his adductor muscle but expressed confidence that he would be raring to go for the title match against Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic.

“Well, obviously I feel tired,” said Alcaraz, who would become the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam by lifting his maiden Australian Open title on Sunday, in his post-match press conference. “Obviously my body could be better, to be honest, but I think that's normal after five hours and a half. [After the match] I just did whatever it takes just to try to be better, to feel better tomorrow. Ice bath… I'm going to have treatment with the physio now, and we will see.

“Hopefully it's not going to be nothing at all, but after five-hours-and-a-half match and that high level of physically, I think the muscles are going to be tight, and I just got to do whatever it takes to be as good as I can for the final.”

The @carlosalcaraz mentality 🔥@AustralianOpen | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/GmNYvBObdL

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Against Zverev, Alcaraz could barely run for the tail end of the third set and much of the fourth, but loosened up in time to rally back from 3-5 in the decider to prevail in the longest semi-final in Australian Open history.

“This one was one of the more demanding matches that I have ever played in my career so far,” said the 22-year-old. “I think physically we just pushed each other to the limit today. We pushed our bodies to the limit. I think the level of the fifth set was really, really high.

“I’m just really, really happy to get the win, that I came back. I rank this one in the top position, [among] one of the best matches that I have ever won.”

Alcaraz is now 15-1 in fifth sets, and he has become the youngest man to reach the final at all four Grand Slam events. If he wants to go on to complete the Career Grand Slam on Sunday, he may need to reproduce some of the remarkable battling qualities he showcased to overcome Zverev.

“When I was younger, there were a lot of matches that I just didn't want to fight anymore or just I gave up,” said the six-time major champion. “Then I just got mature, and I just hate that feeling… Every step more, even just one second more of suffering, one second more of fighting is always worth it. So that's why I just fight until the last ball and always believe that I can come back in every situation.”