Quick Served: Australian Open Day 13 Men's Semis
How Alcaraz and Djokovic pulled off the most epic semifinal day in history
Clutch.
Historic.
Epic.
@*%!#-impossible.
BELIEF.
Carlos Alcaraz summed up the night best with a marker on the camera lens after his semifinal win. It’s hard to believe the high-stakes drama we witnessed in Melbourne last night.
In this episode, Andy and Producer Mike process how Novak Djokovic managed to go “full GOAT” to dismantle the two-time defending champion, Jannik Sinner. At 38 years old, Djokovic put on a tactical masterclass, outlasting the world No. 2, who is 14 years his junior, in five sets to reach his 11th Melbourne final.
Then, the squad dives into the Alcaraz versus Sascha Zverev cramping controversy that is overshadowing their five-and-a-half-hour match for the ages, the longest semifinal in Australian Open history. Was it “gamesmanship” or just survival? Andy breaks down the rules, the pacing and the locker-room reality of the cramping claims.
📝 Programming note: No final previews in this episode—we need to let yesterday’s matches settle. Meet us in the live chat for the women’s final tonight if you’re watching!
Men’s Semifinals Recaps
Djokovic chased down Father Time and Jannik Sinner until 2 a.m. Alcaraz vomited, cramped, then came back from 5–3 in the fifth set to beat Alexander Zverev.
Together, they turned Rod Laver Arena into the Roman Forum. If you were lucky enough to buy the Australian Open’s order-of-play T-shirt yesterday, it’s now priceless.
Carlos Alcaraz def. Alexander Zverev 6–4, 7–6, 7–6, 6–7, 7–5
After a 12-day stretch of straight-set matches, we got the first five-setter in Rod Laver Arena of the tournament. And it was the only one we needed.
Alcaraz stole the second set from Zverev to take a two-sets-to-love lead. At 4-4 in the third, he became ill, pulled up with what appeared to be a leg injury and took a controversial medical timeout—yet never doubted his ability to win.
Stats can’t tell the story of this match, but a few figures will live on.
5 hours, 27 minutes, the longest semifinal in Australian Open history and the 9th longest match in history
Alcaraz is the youngest man (22) to reach the final of all four Grand Slams
Alcaraz is playing to complete the career Grand Slam and become the youngest man ever to do so
Zverev served for the match at 5–3 in the fifth setand was three points away from victory
Zverev now has the lowest win rate (23.5%, 4–13) versus Top 10 opponents in Grand Slams since the ATP rankings were first published in 1973
🎤 Alcaraz
“When I was younger, there were a lot of matches that I just didn’t want to fight anymore or just I gave up. Then I just got mature, and I just hate that feeling. You know, every step more, every 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.”
“I would say I would rather win this one than the [all of the other Slams this year] and complete the Grand Slam and be the youngest ever to do it.”
🎤 Zverev
“Unbelievable fight, battle. Unfortunate ending for me, but to be honest, I had absolutely nothing left in me.
“Funny enough, I don’t have many regrets in the fifth set, because I was hanging on for dear life, to be honest. I was exhausted. But, yeah, the second set, I feel like I should have won. I think going up, being one set all, and him starting to cramp in the third set, that probably would have made a difference, yeah.”
“Of course it’s disappointing, but this is the start of the year, so if I continue playing that way, if I continue training the way I train, if I continue working on the things that I’ve been working in the offseason, I do believe it’s going to be a good year for me.”
Novak Djokovic def. Jannik Sinner 3–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4
In a peculiar reflection of the first semifinal, Djokovic struggled physically in the third set, gasping for breath and appearing to get sick into a towel. He looked like he was being brought to his knees.
But once medicine kicked in, he staged one of the greatest comebacks of his career and was brought to tears instead. Djokovic saved all eight break points in the final set.
Match time: 4 hours, 5 minutes
Sinner won 152 points to Djokovic’s 140
Sinner was 2/18 on break points
Djokovic was 3/8 on break points
Sinner had 72 winners to 42 errors
Djokovic had 46 winners to 42 errors
🎤 Djokovic
“I’m at a loss for words right now. Uh … uhhhh oh, my god … It feels almost surreal, to be honest. Reminiscing of 2012, when I played Rafa in the finals, that was six hours, but [tonight] the level of intensity and quality of tennis was extremely high and I knew that was the only way for me to have a chance tonight against him.”
“Tonight has been one of the best nights, atmosphere-wise, support-wise, that I’ve ever had in Australia.”
“I wasn’t wrong. I said it would be very difficult but not impossible [to beat Alcaraz and Sinner]. I said they were playing on a different level and I had to find that level.”
🎤 Sinner
“Yeah, had many chances. Couldn't use them, and that's the outcome. Yeah, it hurts, for sure.”
“Most of the time he served very well [on the eight break points in the fifth set]. I had my chances. I was in the rallies a couple of times. I missed the shots, and it can happen. You know, that’s tennis, and that’s how tennis works. Also, great serving, and then give him a lot of credit for how he played today.”
Bracket Challenge Final Weekend
With 207 points still available in the Served Bracket Challenge (100 for each final and seven bonus points in seed differential), 13 Chuckers are still alive going into the finals.
15–1
Alcaraz’s record in five-set matches
The one loss was to Matteo Berrettini in the 2022 Australian Open, and the match ended in a fifth-set tiebreak.
The Fab Five
These five-set wins are major milestones.
2021 US Open. Defeated Stefanos Tsitispas, Alcaraz’s first win over a Top 10 opponent at a major and Alcaraz’s coming-out party
2022 US Open. Defeated Marin Cilic, Jannik Sinner and Frances Tiafoe on his way to his first Grand Slam title
2023 Wimbledon. Defeated Novak Djokovic in the final to win his first Wimbledon title
2024 French Open. Defeated Sinner in the semis and Alexander Zverev in the final to win his first French Open title
2025 French Open. Defeated Sinner in the final in what is regarded as one of the greatest men’s matches of all time
🍿 Day 14 Matches
🏆Aryna Sabalenka [1] vs. Elena Rybakina [5]
🏆🏆 Aleksandra Krunic/Anna Danilina [7] vs. Elise Mertens/Zhang Shuai [4]
🏆🏆 Jason Kubler/Marc Polmans [WC] vs. Christian Harrison/Neal Skupski [6]
🗨️ Join us in the Substack chat at the start of the day session!
Catch Up on the Women’s Final Preview
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