Good morning and welcome to coverage of the last men’s quarter-final match at the Australian Open between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.
This is the eighth meeting between the two players with Zverev leading the head-to-head 4-3. In Melbourne, Zverev has spent more time on court and played more sets (17-13) compared to Alcaraz but the German insists he has plenty left in the tank.
“If you play less, you are fresher, but I feel okay,” he said. “I’m not like the US Open where I was completely dead and where I feel like I’m physically exhausted.
“I’m tired, for sure, because I played 7-6 in the fifth set again two times out of the last three matches, but I’m not dead. I’m not completely exhausted. I’m not in the same physical state I was in the US Open.
“I expect it to be very different, to be honest.”
For Alcaraz, he is aiming to stay on course for a potential final showdown with world No 1 Novak Djokovic on Sunday and says he’s playing with full confidence.
“I’m feeling better and better every day,” he said. “I’m feeling better and better every match that I’m playing. Coming into the quarterfinal with a lot of confidence.
“I will try to take this as an advantage, the confidence that I have and the level that I’m playing. But hopefully in the quarterfinals against Sascha, will play a better match than today.
“He is a really great player. He has beaten great guys here in this tournament. Obviously I love playing against him. It’s always a tough battles. I have to play my best level. He pushed me to play 100 per cent every time.
“The last time we faced each other, I lost. So I have to be focused on that. I have to improve my level from that match. I’m going to enjoy the match and playing the quarter-finals against him.
I think for the crowd it’s going to be a great match, as well.
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic will meet in the first semi-final on Friday while Daniil Medvedev awaits the winner of Alcaraz and Zverev.