Alcaraz narrowly avoided a comeback loss, just one win shy of a career Grand Slam; fans lament the missed final opportunity for Zverev.

Following the 5-hour and 27-minute epic clash between Alcaraz and Zverev, fans expressed sympathy for the German player but were happy for the Spaniard, who is now closer than ever to completing the career Grand Slam, needing only one more win!

Although the match between Alcaraz and Zverev was merely a semifinal, many consider it the most thrilling, tense, and exciting men's singles contest at this year’s Australian Open so far.

From nearly everyone expecting an easy win for Alcaraz before the match, to the unexpected twists during play, and then the Spaniard’s powerful comeback from the brink of defeat, this rollercoaster of a match was absolutely thrilling; both players were exhausted on court, and the audience, fans, and netizens were completely captivated.

At one point, some described the match by saying that after Alcaraz took the first two sets 6-4 and 7-6, many felt like turning off the TV and leaving, because given the Spaniard’s strength, the outcome seemed certain and there was no need to watch further.

Unexpectedly, after the first eight games of the third set were tied, Alcaraz suffered an injury while stretching to save a ball. After calling for a medical timeout, the Spaniard returned visibly limited in movement. Despite fighting hard to push both the third and fourth sets to tiebreaks, Zverev won them all, leveling the match.

Especially painful was Alcaraz losing his first service game in the deciding set and, despite his best efforts, never managing to break back, allowing Zverev to serve for the match. This moment shattered Alcaraz’s supporters, as the dream of a career Grand Slam could be dashed this year, possibly postponed until next season.

Just when everyone thought Alcaraz was about to be sent home, Zverev’s sudden dip in form at a crucial moment unexpectedly gave the Spaniard an opening. After breaking the German’s match point serve to even the score, Alcaraz then won two consecutive games to complete a 7-5 comeback victory in this grueling 5-hour and 27-minute marathon, leaving him one step away from the career Grand Slam.

After the match, many expressed disappointment about Zverev, saying they had hoped his intense semifinal battle against Alcaraz at the Australian Open would turn him into a formidable force, but he remained the same “fragile Zverev,” which was very disheartening.

The frustration with the German wasn’t just because he lost three straight games after holding match point, but also because when Alcaraz appeared injured earlier, Zverev had a real chance to close out the match quickly. Instead, he faltered at the crucial moment, suddenly unable to perform, allowing Alcaraz to recover gradually.

Some said that if Zverev had shown toughness from the start instead of playing cautiously like during practice against Alcaraz, the Spaniard might have been eliminated early, and there wouldn’t have been the heartbreak of losing the final opportunity to reach the championship.

Others noted that during the deciding set, Zverev’s serve was noticeably shaky every game, while Alcaraz held his serve with ease, raising concerns that Zverev’s match point serve could be broken—and unfortunately, that prediction came true. Surprisingly, instead of a tiebreak finish, the uninjured German couldn’t hold on, while the injured Alcaraz closed out the match by winning three straight games.

Of course, after the match, an interesting question was raised: was Alcaraz really injured?

Because after the medical timeout, Alcaraz’s movement seemed severely limited, as if a slight push would topple him, yet in the deciding set, he suddenly appeared unhurt and played increasingly strongly, eventually overpowering Zverev.

Some defending Alcaraz argued that he must have been injured, as a simple cramp wouldn’t justify calling for a medical timeout.

Moreover, at such a critical moment in pursuit of the career Grand Slam, no matter how reckless the Spaniard might be, he wouldn’t fake an injury and lose two sets on purpose—if the act had failed, the consequences would have been huge. The fact that he appeared fine afterward might be due to effective painkillers.

After defeating Zverev, Alcaraz collapsed on the court immediately, showing he truly gave his all. His ability to ultimately triumph likely relied on sheer willpower, which many believe was fueled by the near realization of the career Grand Slam.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River Starry Sky)