Daijiworld Media Network - Melbourne

Melbourne, Jan 27: World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz booked his spot in the Australian Open semifinals with a commanding 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 win over local favorite Alex de Minaur at a packed Rod Laver Arena. The victory brings Alcaraz just two wins away from achieving a career Grand Slam. He will face last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev in the semifinals.

Alcaraz, aiming for his first Australian Open title and seventh major overall, maintained composure against De Minaur’s aggressive play, dominating from the baseline and never dropping a set. “I’ve been improving every match since the first round. Today I felt comfortable and played great tennis,” Alcaraz said after the match, praising his team’s advice on patience.

De Minaur, ranked career-high No. 6, displayed glimpses of the attacking game that has propelled him in recent seasons. Despite his resilience and ability to recover from deficits in the first set, he could not match Alcaraz’s power and consistency, succumbing in just over two hours. Alcaraz now leads their head-to-head 6-0.

The 22-year-old Spaniard became only the eighth Spanish man to reach the Australian Open semifinals and could join Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Rod Laver as the sixth man in the Open Era to complete a career Grand Slam.

After earlier quarterfinal exits in 2024 and 2025, Alcaraz now holds a 16-4 record at Melbourne Park. His semifinal against Zverev also marks a rematch of their 2024 quarterfinal clash, won by the German in four sets.