Alcaraz will now face either Jannik Sinner (the two-time defending champion) or Novak Djokovic (the 10-time king of Melbourne). Do tune in to our live blog for the second semi-final between Sinner and Djokovic. Click here to follow.

That's it from my side. Thanks for tuning in!

At just 22, the Spaniard is bidding to become the youngest man in history to complete the Career Grand Slam-a feat that would see him eclipse even the legendary Rafael Nadal. All eyes on Sunday's final!

Zverev lets it slip, and Alcaraz is going to the final! From a break down in the decider, a hobbled but heroic Alcaraz crawls his way back to claim the final set 7-5. History beckons on Sunday as he reaches his first-ever Australian Open final! It's another devastating chapter in the Zverev saga. For a man who has won nearly everything else-Olympic Gold, two ATP Finals, and seven Masters 1000s - this loss will sting more than most.

It feels like momentum is firmly with Alcaraz now. From 5-4 down to 6-5 up, he has completely turned the match on its head. The pressure is squarely back on Zverev, who must now serve to stay in this Australian Open semi-final!

A late twist in the tale as Alcaraz breaks back to make it 5-5! The momentum has shifted yet again; the Spaniard is surging while Zverev looks shell-shocked. We are back on serve and heading toward a 10-point match tie-break!

Alcaraz is taking this deep! He produces another gutsy hold to make it 5-4. This is it - Zverev will serve for the match and a place in the final!

That's some high-level tennis from Zverev! Alcaraz was on his heels, but that was an unreturnable drive from the German. He is now just one game away from a place in the final. Alcaraz is serving to stay in the match!

We have officially crossed the four-hour mark of this incredible contest. Alcaraz continues to put pressure on Zverev as he aims to get the break back, but the German is putting in a real shift to keep the World No. 1 at bay!

Zverev hangs on to retain control for now! The German showed serious grit to save another break point and move to 4-2 in the decider. Alcaraz almost had him, but the escape artist is currently Zverev!

Unbelievable! How on earth did he pull that off? A stunning, ice-cold drop shot to make it 30-30 on Zverev's serve. The Spaniard isn't going anywhere yet!

Alcaraz survives to make it 2-3! After another marathon game, the Spaniard does just enough to give Zverev something to think about. He's still a break down, but the fire is still burning!

This is excellent serving from Zverev as he saves two break points. The ball is back in his court. He leads 3-1 in the decider. Alcaraz is shouting to himself after missing a forehand.

Zverev with a big hold to consolidate the break! He now has a commanding 2-0 lead in the decider against a compromised Carlos. The mountain just got a lot steeper for the Spaniard!

How about the disguise on that drop shot? Alcaraz completely caught Zverev off-guard. You simply don't return those! Carlos looks ready to give this a final push.

Zverev nails the perfect forehand! Alcaraz stretches, but there was just too much power on that winner from the German. We are witnessing a classic match here at the Rod Laver Arena. Off we go to a decider!

Alcaraz leads 4-3 in the tie-break and the onus is back on Zverev. Can the German fight back, or will the top seed prevail? We are witnessing a monumental battle of wills here at the Rod Laver Arena!

Alcaraz holds, and we are in for a third straight tie-break! The World No. 1 definitely looks much more fluid in his movement now. It's anyone's set!

Alcaraz continues to fight back and the fans are loving it! Another big hold from the Spaniard, who points to his ear in celebration; it's pure defiance. We are likely heading toward yet another tie-break!

Alcaraz is alive and kicking! Another massive hold from the World No. 1. The crowd at the Rod Laver Arena is absolutely loving it. It's 4-4! Pressure back on Sascha! The fans have definitely played their part in getting Carlos' mojo back.

The roars are getting louder with every Alcaraz hold! He levels the set at 3-3. The Spanish fans are making their appreciation for this Herculean effort known, and Carlos looks absolutely fired up!

Carlos looked a bit lively in the previous game! It seems like his pain has subsided slightly. Zverev holds firm for now, shifting the onus back to Alcaraz.

Huge roar from Carlos and the crowd has joined him! The top seed with another big hold to make it 2-2. It's all up to Zverev now; it is his match to lose. He has not been able to capitalise on Carlos' evident discomfort.

Zverev holds to keep his nose in front! After Alcaraz pulls a forehand wide, the pressure is squarely back on the Spaniard. How much does he have left in those legs?

Alcaraz isn't giving up just yet! Despite his evident struggles, the World No. 1 holds to make it 1-1 in the fourth set. The Spanish crowd inside the stadium is pumped, and so is a defiant Carlos.

Zverev takes the third set 7-6 after a clinical tie-break! It's still 2-1 to Alcaraz in sets, but the momentum has shifted entirely. It remains to be seen if the Spaniard wishes to continue; he is currently receiving treatment from the physio for what looks like a leg issue.

Sascha holds! Zverev almost made a meal of it, but in goes a closing backhand and we're going to another tie-break! If Zverev wins this set, Alcaraz might not continue, as he is clearly struggling. Off to the tie-break!

Despite his struggles, Alcaraz manages a solid hold. Pressure back on Zverev as he will now serve to stay in the match. We might be heading towards yet another tie-break, unless Alcaraz can pull off something extraordinary. It's now 6-5!

Things are looking grim for Alcaraz! He's effectively stationary, relying entirely on raw power to stay alive. Despite Alcaraz's limited range, Zverev has only managed to bring this game to 40-30-the German is making hard work of a compromised opponent.

Alcaraz seems to be struggling! He looks in clear discomfort, yet the Spaniard decides to continue despite limited mobility. He still manages a gutsy hold, and now the pressure shifts: Zverev will serve to stay in the match. It is an opening for Zverev? The German, however, is currently busy complaining about something to the officials. He feels Alcaraz shouldn't get a medical timeout at this point.

Alcaraz fights back to hold! He falls behind 15-30 but swings the game in his favour with an ace. He follows that up with another solid first serve to close out the game. Onus back on Zverev!

Zverev holds to 15! While Zverev hasn't done much wrong so far, his casual approach to some of his shot selections has been poor. That lack of intensity alone can prove fatal against a tenacious opponent like Alcaraz. It's 3-3 in the third set

Zverev holds! It's unbelievable how Zverev generates so much power on his forehands. This game was all about that brute force from the German, who also played field hockey before transitioning into tennis.

Zverev holds back to level the third set at 1-1! The German looks a bit tired, while Alcaraz has chased almost everything and anything - a factor where the six-year age gap between the two really shows. It's Alcaraz's game to lose from here.

Alcaraz takes the second set in a tie-break! A terrible volley at the net from Zverev gifted Alcaraz a 6-5 lead and a set point. The Spaniard then forced him wide with a blistering forehand, causing the German to spray his return well wide. It’s 2-0 to Carlitos!

Alcaraz 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) Zverev

A comfortable hold from Alcaraz means the second set will be decided in a tiebreak! It is still anyone's set to take after two hours of grueling, high-octane tennis. Who will blink first under the scorching heat of Melbourne?

Zverev saves multiple break points! The German crawled back after allowing Alcaraz to reach 15-40. Despite Alcaraz's relentless chasing, Zverev saved the first break point with a clinical finish at the net, then followed it up with a clutch ace to dismiss the second. An unforced error from Alcaraz handed Sascha the advantage, and the German promptly wrapped up the game. He leads 6-5!

A massive opportunity missed by Zverev! Alcaraz powers his way back into the set, breaking Sascha just as he was serving for the equalizer. The German saved the first break point with a hefty first serve, but the top seed's forehand proved too much for the third seed. We are back on serve at 5-4!

Alcaraz holds to make it 5-3! The onus now shifts to Zverev as he serves for the set. It wasn't the most comfortable hold for the Spaniard, but they all count at this stage of a semi-final. It's the upper hand for Zverev, but he still has to get the job done and shut the door on Carlitos!

That's routine stuff from Zverev as he comfortably holds to go up 5-2. Alcaraz will now serve to stay in the set. It's unbelievable how quickly things can change in a match of this magnitude; Alcaraz is the one firmly under pressure now!

What a steal from Zverev! He breaks Alcaraz to take a commanding 4-2 lead in the second set. The German had raced to a 0-40 lead before Carlitos crawled his way back to 30-40, only to overhit his next shot and gift the break. The momentum has officially shifted!

Relentless chasing from Alcaraz, but Zverev eventually wins the physical rally, sending the Spaniard the wrong way with a clever change of direction. The German holds his nerve to take the game and now leads 3-2 in the second set.

Zverev with a jumping smash after forcing Alcaraz wide to hold!

In seven matches this year, Zverev has hit six double faults TOTAL. His double fault rate sat at just 1% coming into the match.
He hits two in one game to give the break away at 4-4 and Alcaraz takes the set.

— Gill Gross (@Gill_Gross) January 30, 2026

Zverev attempts to lob Alcaraz but overcooks it! That miss allows Alcaraz to level the second set at 1-1. This is turning out to be a cracker of a contest, with some truly incredible tennis on show from both men as they battle the heat and each other.

Zverev saves another break to hold the opening game of the second set! Nervy moments for the German as Alcaraz pushed hard for an early break. Zverev eventually holds to survive after a fifth deuce, but the intense Melbourne heat is certainly not making life easier for either man out there.

Alcaraz takes the first set 6-4 as Zverev fumbles at the finish line! The German gifted the crucial break to the Spaniard with a costly double fault. Alcaraz then held to love with clinical ease to claim the early advantage. It's 1-0 to Carlitos!

Zverev fails to capitalise on Alcaraz's first double fault of the match. The Spaniard resets to put together a run of four points. Makes it 4-4

Finally! Ace number 81 for Zverev. It couldn't have come at a more crucial time after Alcaraz earned a break point with a magical forehand winner. The German stood tall under pressure to erase the threat and hold his serve. He leads 4-3 in the first!

Interestingly, we've seen three aces so far from Alcaraz, while we are yet to see a single one from Zverev today. That's a major surprise considering the German leads the tournament with 80 aces coming into the semi-finals.

Zverev and Alcaraz aren't giving an inch to one another. It's 3-3 in the first set. The Spaniard had to grind it out again after gifting the opening point to Zverev, but he stayed composed to level the score.

Zverev's forehand lands just outside the tramline, allowing Alcaraz to level the score at 2-2 in this opening set. Clinical serving from the Spaniard so far; he isn't giving Zverev any room to breathe on the return.

Much better from Zverev as he holds to love to make it 2-1 in this first set. He got it done in under two minutes, topping the game off with a clinical, accurate forehand. It's been strictly neck and neck so far-neither man giving an inch!

Alcaraz holds to 30! A solid start to the set from the Spaniard. He opened the game with a clinical ace before racing to a 40-0 lead. A brief lapse allowed Zverev to claw back to 40-30, but the Spaniard nails another ace to himself a quick sigh of relief. It's 1-1.

And we are underway at Rod Laver Arena! A shaky start from Zverev, but he manages to hold at 30. His first-serve percentage was hovering at just 50% in that opening game, looking a bit wayward early on. However, a loose error from Alcaraz hands the German the opening game of the match.

Alcaraz and Zverev are in the middle, doing their pre-match warm ups. It is worth mentioning that Alcaraz is yet to drop a set in Melbourne this year. However, John McEnro feels Zverev has "got a shot at it (beating Carlos Alcaraz), for sure."

A fourth consecutive Slam final between the new 'Big Two'-Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner-is on the cards in Melbourne. Sinner, chasing a historic third consecutive Australian Open title, faces 10-time champion Novak Djokovic later today. With the first semi-final at Rod Laver Arena just moments away, the atmosphere is electric!

Alcaraz and Zverev have met 12 times previously, with both winning six matches each. The Spaniard was full of praise for his opponent after beating Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals.

"I have seen him throughout the whole tournament and I know he is playing great, aggressive tennis," Alcaraz said.

"I have to be ready, not just me but my whole team as well.

"We need to play tactically really well, it's going to be a great battle."

The Australian duo of Olivia Gadecki and John Peers made it two-for-two, clinching the mixed doubles title for a second consecutive year in Melbourne. They defeated Austria's Lucas Miedler and Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2 in straight sets. This victory marks John Peers' fourth Major doubles title and continues Gadecki's ascent as a hometown hero at Melbourne Park.

The German Zverev made the final last year and was thumped by Sinner before his season was blighted by shoulder, back and ankle injuries. But he is pain-free and with a newly aggressive approach could pose a threat. Zverev famously dismantled the Spaniard on this very court in 2024 and is himself hungry to banish the ghosts of three previous Grand Slam final defeats.

Alcaraz is on his own mission -- to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam of all four majors aged just 22. Rafael Nadal did it at 24. He has been in ominous touch so far in Melbourne, but faces a tricky challenge in the form of Zverev, who is still seeking an elusive first major crown at the age of 28.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the men's singles 1st semi-final at Australian Open featuring World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and third seed Alexander Zverev. The Spaniard Alcaraz is looking to become only the sixth man in the Open Era to complete a career Grand Slam.