Carlos Alcaraz rued wasted opportunities after coming up short against Alexander Zverev in a tight Australian Open quarter-final early Thursday but believed he could leave Melbourne with his head held high.
The world number two mounted a dramatic comeback on Rod Laver Arena after being outplayed for nearly three sets by the German but in the end lost down 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4.
Alcaraz had stormed into the final eight for the loss of just one set but toiled against the laser-like Zverev serve and could not find a foothold in the match.
But, seeming down and out, he broke the sixth seed when he served for the championship at 5-3 in the third set and delivered fantastic tennis in the tie-break.
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Despite enormous encouragement from a rapt audience, he was unable to retain his amazing level and two breaks in the fourth set catapulted Zverev over the line.
Alcaraz believed he played “great tennis” at the finish of the third set but his performance had diminished.
“I played good tennis in the fourth set,” he continued. “Not to my best level but, you know, it was a good one.
“Didn’t make my chances. You know, a lot of ups and downs with my level, with my tennis, with the serves.”
Congratulations to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during their quarterfinal fight at the Australian Open.
Carlos Alcaraz rued wasted opportunities after coming up short against Alexander Zverev in a tight Australian Open quarter-final early Thursday but believed he could leave Melbourne with his head held high.
The world number two mounted a dramatic comeback on Rod Laver Arena after being outplayed for nearly three sets by the German but in the end lost down 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4.
Alcaraz had stormed into the final eight for the loss of just one set but toiled against the laser-like Zverev serve and could not find a foothold in the match.
But, seeming down and out, he broke the sixth seed when he served for the championship at 5-3 in the third set and delivered fantastic tennis in the tie-break.
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Despite enormous encouragement from a rapt audience, he was unable to retain his amazing level and two breaks in the fourth set catapulted Zverev over the line.
Alcaraz believed he played “great tennis” at the finish of the third set but his performance had diminished.
“I played good tennis in the fourth set,” he continued. “Not to my best level but, you know, it was a good one.
“Didn’t make my chances. You know, a lot of ups and downs with my level, with my tennis, with the serves.”
It is an early exit by the standards of the 20-year-old. He missed last year’s Australian Open with an injury but reached the semi-finals of the French Open before winning Wimbledon and then made the last four at the US Open.
But Alcaraz said generally he was delighted with his efforts in Melbourne.
“In general, you know, I leave the tournament happy, forgetting about today’s level,” he commented. “But in general I think I did a pretty good tournament.
“I played great matches and a quarter-final of a Grand Slam is good. It is not what I’m seeking for, but is not awful, you know.”
Energy
Alcaraz remarked the passion of the spectators had encouraged him when it seemed as though he was plummeting to a straight-sets defeat.
“I think there was a fourth set because of the crowd, and the way that they bring energy to me,” he added. “It was crazy.
“I was down, totally down, and they started — or they didn’t stop supporting me, so it was crazy.
“So I want to thank them, you know, to stay there, believing in me, supporting me in every ball, in every point.”
Alcaraz was the only man to upset world number one Novak Djokovic at the Grand Slams last year — in the Wimbledon final — but he thought the players still in the competition had the potential to overcome the Serbian 10-time Australian Open winner.
“It’s not easy to beat Novak in a tournament, but I think it’s even tougher in a Grand Slam,” he added. “But he has to face (fourth seed) Jannik Sinner — he’s playing an unbelievable game.
“He has not dropped a set in this tournament. That proves that he has the level and the capacity to defeat Novak.”
Zverev will meet third seed Daniil Medvedev in the second semi-final on Friday.
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