Zverev Questions Alcaraz's Timeout in Australian Open Semifinal Loss

Last October, Alexander Zverev said flatly that tournament organizers were using court speed to help Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Zverev struck a similar note during his 5.5-hour marathon loss to Alcaraz in the Australian Open semifinal: 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (4), 7-5.

Up 2/0 5-4, Alcaraz sat down to receive medical attention. The chair umpire announced a medical timeout. Zverev began arguing that Alcaraz was suffering from cramps and should not have been able to take one.

Zverev complaining about Alcaraz receiving treatment from the physio for cramps

Says “These guys (Sinner and Alcaraz) are protected”

pic.twitter.com/hmD8C70tA3 https://t.co/XZ8OaPfPUv
— SK (@Djoko_UTD) January 30, 2026

"He has cramps," shouted Zverev in German. "What else should it be? This is absolute b*******. That is unbelievable. That can not be. You can not be serious. You protect the both of them. It's unbelievable."

Tennis media and fans began debating the rules. Players are allowed treatment for cramps at three changeovers maximum, but cannot take a medical timeout. If Alcaraz had an injury prior to treatment, it would have made the timeout allowable.

WHAT A MATCH 😱

Carlos Alcaraz outlasts Alexander Sverev in an instant classic to advance to his first Australian Open final 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GxB3i3MKbj
— ESPN (@espn) January 30, 2026

Zverev went on to win the third and fourth sets before dropping the decider in what was the longest semifinal match in Australian Open history. The media in Melbourne asked Zverev about the fiery exchange with the chair umpire during his post-match press conference.

"To be honest, it was 17 hours ago," joked Zverev. "I don't quite remember. I'm sure somebody has it on video, and you can check. But to be honest, I don't want to talk about this right now. I think this is one of the best battles there ever was in Australia. It doesn't deserve to be the topic."

Zverev was asked about Carlos Alcaraz’s medical time out while cramping during their match at the Australian Open

Zverev: “He was cramping. Normally you can't take a medical timeout for cramping. But what can I do? It's not my decision. I didn't like it, but it's not my… pic.twitter.com/ilt50Em1m5
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 30, 2026

"I was struggling in the middle of the third set. You know, physically it was one of the most demanding matches that I have ever played," Alcaraz explained after the match. "But I've been in these situations, I've been in these kind of matches before, so I knew what I had to do.

While Zverev fails to make it back to the final in Melbourne, Alcaraz continues his best-ever Australian Open campaign. "I'm just really happy to have the chance to play my first final here in Melbourne," Alcaraz said. "It is something that I was pursuing a lot, chasing a lot, having the chance to fight for the title."

Carlos Alcaraz says he initially wasn’t sure if he was cramping or if it was an issue with his adductor during his match against Zverev, ‘I just told what happened to the physio & he decided to take a medical’

“I didn’t think it was cramps at all at the beginning. I didn’t know… pic.twitter.com/mvL62zDoqB
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 30, 2026

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