World number one Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 at the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday to reach his first Australian Open semi-final. The 22-year-old Spaniard dominated the match, breaking de Minaur early to take a 3-0 lead before facing three break points in the fifth game.
Despite de Minaur briefly recovering to level in the ninth game, Alcaraz maintained his composure and sealed the second set. He then delivered an outstanding performance in the third set to secure victory. With this win, Alcaraz becomes the third-youngest player in the Open era to reach the men’s singles semi-finals at all four Grand Slam tournaments, trailing only Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Alcaraz expressed his satisfaction after the match, saying, “I’m happy with the way I am playing here. From the first round to now, I am increasing my level every match. Today I felt really comfortable, playing great tennis which I am proud about.” He praised de Minaur’s challenging style, noting, “Playing Alex is really difficult… you have to hit every ball as hard as you can, which is impossible against him. It is always really difficult against Alex; you have to be focused on every ball.”
Alcaraz will face Alexander Zverev in the semi-final on Friday, seeking to continue his strong run at Melbourne Park.
In the women’s draw, Aryna Sabalenka defeated Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 to secure her spot in the semi-finals. She will face Elina Svitolina, who eliminated American star Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2. Gauff reacted angrily to her loss, smashing her racket and expressing frustration over the lack of private spaces during the tournament. She explained, “I tried to go somewhere where there were no cameras… I don’t want to lash out on my team. They’re good people. I just took a minute to let out that emotion.”
Sabalenka’s dominant performance and Svitolina’s victory set up an intriguing semi-final clash in the women’s draw on Thursday. Meanwhile, Alcaraz continues to impress on the men’s side, demonstrating why he is currently the top-ranked player in the world. Both semi-finals highlight the rising intensity at this year’s Australian Open, with top players aiming for a place in the finals and a chance at the championship.
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