Carlos Alcaraz battled past Alexander Zverev in a thrilling five-set semi-final at the Australian Open on Friday, reaching his first final in Melbourne. The world No. 1 overcame the No. 3 seed Zverev 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 in a grueling match that lasted five hours and 27 minutes at Rod Laver Arena. This was the longest semi-final in the tournament's history.

Alcaraz appeared to be on his way to a comfortable victory after winning the first two sets. However, he faced a severe bout of cramps late in the third set, which shifted the momentum. Zverev took advantage, winning the third set and then dominating the fourth in a tiebreak. He seized an early break in the fifth set, putting Alcaraz on the brink of defeat.

Despite the physical struggles and the pressure from Zverev, Alcaraz demonstrated remarkable resilience. He rallied from 3-5 down in the final set, breaking Zverev's serve twice to level the score. With the crowd energized, Alcaraz broke Zverev again to secure the victory and a place in the final.

"Believing, all the time," Alcaraz said in his on-court interview when asked about how he won the match. "I always say you have to believe in yourself, no matter if you are struggling or what you have been through... I was struggling in the middle of the third set. Physically it was one of the most demanding matches that I have played in my short career". He added, "I had to put my heart into the match. I think I did it and I fought until the last ball. I knew I was going to have my chances. I am extremely proud of myself with the way that I fought and came back in the fifth set".

With this win, Alcaraz is now one step closer to achieving a Career Grand Slam, needing to win the Australian Open to become the youngest man to achieve this feat. He will face either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in the final. The head-to-head series between Alcaraz and Zverev now stands tied at 6-6. This match marked Alcaraz's first semi-final appearance at Melbourne Park.