Alexander Zverev served for a place in the Australian Open final…
But he couldn’t quite get over the line, as Zverev lost to Carlos Alcaraz, 4-6, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 5-7, in a five-hour, 27-minute classic on Rod Laver Arena.
The German had fought back brilliantly from two sets down, taking advantage of Alcaraz’s cramps, to force a decider.
Has Alexander Zverev just blown his last chance to win a Grand Slam?
Unfortunately for Zverev, he ran out of gas by the end of the fifth set and failed to return to the Australian Open final.
Watching the world number three suffer another heartbreaking Grand Slam defeat, former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash shared his thoughts.
Pat Cash says Alexander Zverev is ‘not good enough’ as he loses to Carlos Alcaraz
Commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, Cash suggested how damaging this defeat could be for Zverev.
“It is very hard to finish off an injured player,” he said.
“I couldn’t finish off Stefan Edberg here when he pulled a stomach muscle.
“You don’t want to change your game, start doing drop shots if it’s not your natural game. Then the mind games come in: what should I be doing?
“Should I be running him or not?
“[Alexander] Zverev is going to walk off and think ‘I couldn’t beat a guy who was on one leg for two sets.’
“That is going to be highly damaging to him.
“He didn’t play badly; he is just not good enough.”
While harsh, Cash isn’t wrong.
Zverev is one of the best players on Planet Earth, but when it comes to beating the ATP Tour’s elite at Grand Slams, he struggles.
Alexander Zverev’s Grand Slam F/SF/QF defeats
| Match | Opponent | Score | Time |
| 2025 Australian Open – F | Jannik Sinner | 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 | 2hr, 42 minutes |
| 2024 French Open – F | Carlos Alcaraz | 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 | 4hr, 19 minutes |
| 2020 US Open – F | Dominic Thiem | 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 | 4hr, 02 minutes |
| 2026 Australian Open – SF | Carlos Alcaraz | 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5 | 5hr, 27 minutes |
| 2024 Australian Open – SF | Daniil Medvedev | 5-7, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 | 4hr, 18 minutes |
| 2023 French Open – SF | Casper Ruud | 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 | 2hr, 09 minutes |
| 2022 French Open – SF | Rafael Nadal | 7-6, 6-6 (RET) | 3hr, 07 minutes |
| 2021 US Open – SF | Novak Djokovic | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 | 3hr, 34 minutes |
| 2021 French Open – SF | Stefanos Tsitsipas | 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 | 3hr, 37 minutes |
| 2020 Australian Open – SF | Dominic Thiem | 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 | 3hr, 42 minutes |
| 2025 French Open – QF | Novak Djokovic | 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 | 3hr, 18 minutes |
| 2024 US Open – QF | Taylor Fritz | 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 | 3hr, 26 minutes |
| 2023 US Open – QF | Carlos Alcaraz | 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 | 2hr, 30 minutes |
| 2021 Australian Open – QF | Novak Djokovic | 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 | 3hr, 30 minutes |
| 2019 French Open – QF | Novak Djokovic | 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 | 2hr, 09 minutes |
| 2018 French Open – QF | Dominic Thiem | 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 | 1hr, 50 minutes |
But how can he overcome these struggles?
Well, firstly, he needs to play with more aggression.
Too often when the pressure gets to him, Zverev reverts to playing passively, focusing on returning balls rather than hitting winners.
Even when Alcaraz was struggling physically in the third set, the German was unable to take control.
Were the Australian Open too lenient with Carlos Alcaraz?
Forcing himself to attack whenever possible, especially in the big moments of big matches, could allow Zverev to win a maiden Grand Slam title.
Annabel Croft delivers her verdict on Carlos Alcaraz vs Alexander Zverev
Also talking on BBC Radio 5 Live, British tennis legend Annabel Croft shared her thoughts on Alcaraz and Zverev’s marathon match.
“That was absolutely breathtaking, what a dramatic match,” she said.
“What an incredible contest, this is what Grand Slam action is all about.
“It took us on so many twists and turns. A physical, mental, and brutal match. Alcaraz is a deserved winner.
“I don’t know how he found enough energy to pull through.”
Alcaraz will now play either Djokovic or Sinner in the 2026 Australian Open final on Sunday, February 1.
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