Alexander Zverev has criticised tournament officials after Carlos Alcaraz was granted a medical timeout during their epic Australian Open semi-final, questioning whether the stoppage was permitted under the sport’s rules.
The five-set clash, which lasted five hours and 27 minutes, became the longest semi-final in Australian Open history. While the quality and endurance on display were widely praised, post-match attention quickly shifted to a controversial moment in the third set that left the German visibly frustrated.
Dispute Over Medical Timeout Decision
The incident occurred at 4–4 in the third set when Alcaraz appeared to struggle with movement and received treatment on his right thigh during a change of ends. Zverev argued that the issue was cramp-related — a condition that does not qualify for a medical timeout under Grand Slam regulations.
“He was cramping, so normally you can’t take a medical timeout for cramping,” Zverev said during his post-match press conference.
While the German stopped short of accusing his opponent directly, he made clear that his dissatisfaction was directed at the officials who authorised the stoppage.
“I didn’t like it, but it’s not my decision,” he added.
Zverev was seen confronting a match supervisor on court in an exchange later described as heated, as Alcaraz underwent treatment.
Match Flow and Momentum Shift
Following the timeout, Alcaraz dropped the next two sets as Zverev levelled the contest, raising questions about whether the Spaniard’s physical issues would prove decisive. However, the momentum shifted again in the fifth set, where Alcaraz recovered sharply and closed out the match 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5.
Zverev acknowledged the contrast in Alcaraz’s movement late in the match.
“The fifth set, the way he was moving, was incredible again,” he said.
Reflecting on the contest, Zverev suggested he may have missed opportunities to capitalise earlier.
“Maybe I should have used that better… maybe I should have won the games and won the sets a bit quicker.”
Exhaustion and Reflection After Near Miss
Despite the controversy, Zverev emphasised the physical toll of the match and expressed pride in his own performance. The German was serving for the match at 5–4 in the final set before Alcaraz won the last three games.
“I was hanging on for dear life. I was exhausted,” Zverev admitted, describing it as one of the toughest matches of his career.
Still searching for his first Grand Slam title, Zverev said his greater regret lay in losing the second set rather than the decisive moments late on.
“Of course it’s disappointing, but this is the start of the year,” he said. “If I continue playing that way, I do believe it’s going to be a good year for me.”
Focus on Rules, Not Rivalry
Importantly, Zverev refrained from personal criticism of Alcaraz, instead framing the issue as one of officiating consistency and rule enforcement. Tournament officials have not issued a formal response regarding the decision.
Alcaraz, who went on to reach the final, did not publicly address the incident in detail but maintained his composure throughout the match and recovery.
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