trade decline: tennis superstar Alexander Zeverev Turns down $176.3 …
After defeating second seed Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling four-set match, Alex Zverev advanced to the Australian semifinals.
Zverev defeated Hubert Hurkacz in five sets in the afternoon session to go to the semifinals, where he will face Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev. It marks Zverev’s first victory over a top-five player at a major.
The final outcome over two-time grand slam champion Alcaraz felt like a comeback victory for the German, even though he never trailed during the match.
While up a break at 2–5 in the third set, Zverev looked poised for a straight-sets victory, but he later acknowledged that he got ahead of himself. Zverev dominated the opening two sets with some of the finest tennis the sixth seed has ever played.
Between sets, Zverev called a medical break to address bloodied toes that he claimed became “very painful” as he had to sprint around the court the way Alcaraz had pushed him.
Prior to the match on Wednesday night, he had also played for about 14 hours on the court this tournament, which was more than five hours longer than Alcaraz had in the first four rounds.
Thus, even though he was up two sets to one, Zverev appeared to be lacking in strength and energy throughout the majority of the fourth set. However, in the ninth game, he broke Alcaraz and used his second opportunity to serve out the match.