Carlos Alcaraz has battled his way into his maiden Australian Open final after a thrilling win over Alexander Zverev.
Playing out the longest semifinal in the history of the Australian Open, the Spaniard beat the German 6-4, 7-6(7-5), 6-7(3-7), 6-7(4-7), 7-5.
The fans at Melbourne Park’s Rod Laver Arena were treated to an all-time classic, during which Alcaraz soaked up the electric atmosphere.
He fought his opponent, cramps and sickness during the match, eventually progressing to keep his career Grand Slam dreams alive.
Russell Crowe praises ‘amazing’ Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open
Alcaraz was unsurprisingly delighted to make it through the epic encounter, with his efforts even catching the eye of Russell Crowe.
The New Zealand actor, famed for his iconic role in the blockbuster film Gladiator, simply posted on X: “Carlos… amazing.”
It truly was an amazing performance from the Spaniard, who has just reminded everyone exactly why he is the world number one.
Aryna Sabalenka reacts to ‘unbelievable’ Carlos Alcaraz win
Unsurprisingly, Crowe wasn’t the only one blown away by the magic of the Spanish superstar in Melbourne.
Reacting to a video from the Australian Open on Instagram of Alcaraz securing the win, WTA number one Aryna Sabalenka commented: “Unbelievable”, with three fire emojis.
The women’s superstar will be hoping for the same outcome in her next match, having also reached the Australian Open final.
Sabalenka will take on Elena Rybakina at Rod Laver Arena, in what is a repeat of the 2023 final, which she won.
The Belarusian also boasts an 8-6 head-to-head record over the Kazakhstan ace, although Rybakina did win their last meeting.
They went head-to-head in the final of the 2025 WTA Finals, where Rybakina emerged victorious, going through the entire tournament unbeaten.
Now at the Australian Open, both players have yet to drop a set, which along with their superb serving should help produce a high-quality final.
READ MORE: Ben Shelton names the three American players he thinks have a lot of ‘swag’
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
