Carlos Alcaraz Explains Why He Received Medical Timeout During Win vs. Zverev

Carlos Alcaraz’s five-set triumph over Alexander Zverev was both thrilling and controversial. The six-time major winner, holding a two-set lead over Zverev with the third set even at 4–4, pulled up limp and appeared to be struggling with cramps or a leg injury. Alcaraz, to the chagrin of an irate Zverev, received a medical timeout and was twice treated by the tournament physiotherapist as the German tennis player vehemently argued with the chair umpire and tournament officials.

The reason for Zverev’s anger? A medical timeout is a formal stoppage of play and is typically three minutes in duration. According to the Grand Slam rulebook, players are not allowed to receive a medical timeout for muscle cramping. They are only permitted to receive treatment for cramps during normal changeovers—60 second sitdowns between games—a maximum of three times. The final decision on treatment, including whether it should be administered at all, rests with the tournament medical staff, not the player.

After the match, Alcaraz explained why he received a medical timeout, noting that he initially believed he wasn’t suffering from muscle cramps.

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

“I didn’t think it was cramps at all at the beginning,” Alcaraz said. “I didn’t know exactly what it was. I ran to a forehand and started to feel it in the right adductor. That’s why I called the physio. Because it was just that moment, the rest of the legs ... the left leg was good.

“Not good but decent. After that with all the stress I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t know if it was going to be worse or not. In that moment I just talked to the physio and said ‘O.K., I just went to run to the forehand side and I started to feel the right adductor.’ He decided to take the medical time out and he did it. I just told what happened to the physio and he decided to take a medical.”

The rulebook goes on to state that if the physio and tournament doctor determine that the player’s claimed acute medical condition was actually muscle cramps, the chair umpire can order the player to resume play immediately. Evidently, the tournament medical staff determined otherwise, which was the root cause of Zverev’s anger.

Zverev valiantly went on to battle back and win the next two sets before his legs ultimately failed him in the fifth set after more than five hours on court. He maintained his gripe about Alcaraz’s medical timeout while speaking to reporters after the match.

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

“He was cramping. Normally you can't take a medical timeout for cramping,” Zverev said. “But what can I do? It's not my decision. I didn't like it, but it's not my decision.”

In the heat of the moment, broadcast mics picked up an angry Zverev accusing tournament officials of protecting “both of them,” meaning Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the tour’s top two players.

When asked to clarify what he had meant, Zverev declined and opted to instead focus on the high kevel of tennis he and the Spaniard had displayed.

“To be honest it was 17 hours ago. I don’t quite remember,” Zverev said. “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.”

Alcaraz will seek to complete his career Grand Slam on Sunday against Novak Djokovic, who won his own epic semifinal match against reigning Australian Open champion Sinner.

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