Australian Open Shock: Wimbledon Champ Alcaraz Crashes Out to Zverev

In an unexpected turn of events at the Australian Open 2024, former World No.1 and defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz was eliminated after a straight-sets loss to Germany’s Alexander Zverev on Wednesday, January 24. Alcaraz, who was among the top contenders for the title, fell to Zverev in a match that ended with scores of 6-1, 6-3, 7-5. Zverev, an Olympic gold medalist, now advances to the semifinals where he will face Daniil Medvedev, with a spot in the final on Sunday at stake.

Zverev’s Impressive Victory Over Alcaraz
Entering the match as the favorite, Alcaraz found himself outplayed by Zverev, who took an early lead in the match. Zverev’s dominant performance began with him dropping only one game in the first set. He continued to assert his dominance in the second set, breaking Alcaraz twice and swiftly taking the set 6-3, bringing him closer to the semifinals.

The third set also saw Zverev taking the lead by breaking Alcaraz. Although Zverev was close to winning the match, Alcaraz made a significant comeback from being 5-3 down, pushing the set to a tiebreak where he ultimately emerged victorious.

Despite starting the fourth set, Alcaraz couldn’t gain the upper hand and lost his serve early on. Zverev maintained his lead and eventually sealed the match with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 victory.

Looking Ahead to the Semifinals
The semifinals now set the stage for a match between Zverev and Medvedev. On the other side of the draw, Novak Djokovic will face off against Italy’s Jannik Sinner. Should Medvedev and Djokovic both win their semifinal matches, it would set up a repeat of the 2021 Australian Open final, where Djokovic triumphed over Medvedev. The pair also met in the 2021 US Open final, where Medvedev avenged his earlier loss to Djokovic.