Carlos Alcaraz criticized his performance after losing to Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open, emphasizing the need for improvement

Carlos Alcaraz expressed disappointment at his inability to showcase his best tennis after being eliminated from the Australian Open quarter-finals by Alexander Zverev. Despite being a favorite, Alcaraz trailed after losing the first two sets in just over an hour. Although he fought back to win the third set in a tie-break, he ultimately succumbed with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-4 defeat.

Reflecting on the match, Alcaraz remarked, “I believe I had opportunities at 4-3 in the fourth set that I didn’t capitalize on. I played decent tennis in the fourth set, not at my peak but decent. I missed chances, experienced fluctuations in my performance, struggled with my serve, and he was returning exceptionally well. Dealing with the pressure he applied on every point during my serves was tough. I need to enhance my game, address these issues, and hope for improvement in the future. Today’s performance is disappointing considering my recent good form in the tournament, reaching the quarter-finals and playing with confidence, especially in the preceding rounds.”

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“Despite today’s performance, I’m leaving the tournament with a sense of satisfaction. Overall, I had a pretty good tournament, playing great matches and reaching the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam is a positive outcome. While it may not be the ultimate goal, it’s certainly not a bad result.

Considering the level of confidence and good tennis I was playing leading up to this match, it’s disappointing that I started and ended the match the way I did. However, that’s the nature of tennis.

During the third-set comeback, there were glimpses of the player who achieved two Grand Slam victories by the age of 20.”

Serving at 5-3 for a straight-sets victory, Zverev faced a breakthrough from Alcaraz, who, despite losing the first two points, showcased impressive passing shots to secure a thrilling tie-break. The crowd at Rod Laver Arena cheered enthusiastically, lifting Alcaraz’s spirits.

Alcaraz expressed gratitude to the fans, stating, “The crowd played a significant role in pushing me to a fourth set; their energy was incredible. Even when I was down, their unwavering support was crazy. I want to thank them for believing in me, supporting me through every ball. The comeback in the third set was possible because of them. Without their support, I might have lost in three sets.”

With Alcaraz now out, attention turns to the upcoming semi-finals, particularly focusing on Novak Djokovic. Djokovic, pursuing his 11th title in Melbourne, advanced after defeating Taylor Fritz. In the semi-final, he faces Jannik Sinner, and while Djokovic is seen as a strong favorite, Alcaraz believes that any player remaining in the tournament has the potential to challenge and potentially dethrone the Serbian.

“The players in the semi-finals have the skill to beat him,” Alcaraz remarked. “It’s a challenging task to defeat Novak in any tournament, and even more so in a Grand Slam. Jannik Sinner is showcasing an exceptional game, having not dropped a set yet, indicating that he has the ability to overcome Novak.”

“I’ll definitely be watching the matches, and I believe the players at this stage have the capability to defeat him.”

KYRGIOS: ALCARAZ APPEARED VULNERABLE

Nick Kyrgios commended Zverev for his “insane” victory but observed that Alcaraz seemed out of his usual form on the court. In contrast to the confident and aggressive style that characterized his rapid rise in the sport, Alcaraz appeared uncertain at various points against a well-performing Zverev.

“The first two sets showcased a side of Alcaraz that we haven’t seen in a while,” Kyrgios remarked. “He looked human, making numerous unforced errors. I was telling my friends that Zverev had a chance to win. Alcaraz seemed vulnerable in this tournament; his performance wasn’t exceptional.

“He appeared a bit tense, coming out with aggressive swings, spraying the ball around, and Zverev capitalized on that with some clean tennis.”

The foundation of Zverev’s victory was firmly established through his exceptional serving. In what could be considered one of the standout Grand Slam serving performances, the German achieved an impressive 85% first serve rate, winning 73% of points with his dominant weapon.

As the match progressed, Alcaraz began to adjust to Zverev’s serve, but Kyrgios expressed surprise at the delay in this adaptation. Kyrgios noted, “When someone is in that serving rhythm, I’ve seen players completely change their court positioning for me, standing either on the service line or the back fence, providing a different look. Alcaraz took a bit too long to make that adjustment, allowing Zverev to establish a rhythm where it became challenging to disrupt him. Zverev was so composed and in such a good serving rhythm.”

Kyrgios further commented, “I was quite surprised that Alcaraz’s team didn’t advise him to stand wider and cover the T, or stand at the T and cover the wide areas—just something different. I thought, being a Grand Slam champion already, Alcaraz, at 20 years old, would have recognized that, but everyone learns and adapts at their own pace.”