Carlos Alcaraz outlasted Alexander Zverev in a five-hour, five-set thriller (6-4 7-6 6-7 6-7 7-5) to reach his first Australian Open final, though the win was marked by controversy.
At 5-4 in the third set, Alcaraz received a medical timeout for an adductor issue.
Zverev was left furious, accusing officials of “favouritism,” as Grand Slam rules prohibit timeouts for cramping—a condition Alcaraz appeared to be treating by drinking pickle juice.
“I didn’t think it was cramp,” Alcaraz insisted. “The physio decided to take the timeout.”
The 22-year-old Spaniard recovered from losing two consecutive tiebreaks to clinch the deciding set, citing his motto of “head, heart, and balls” as the key to his resilience.
Alcaraz will now face Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final, as he bids to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.
