Doubts pushed aside, blood blisters ignored: This is how Alexander Zverev wins against Carlos Alcaraz. Image: AFP
Doubts pushed aside, blood blisters ignored: Alexander Zverev defies the bad omens and plays better than ever before against Alcaraz. The tennis ace also survived tricky moments on the way to the semi-finals.
When Alexander Zverev left the Center Court into the catacombs of the Rod Laver Arena an hour and a half after midnight, the strains of the past few days and, above all, hours were clearly visible. The German, laden with his tennis bags, could only limp because of the blisters on his feet. It was easier for him to smile.
After all, he had just defeated world number two Carlos Alcaraz 6:1, 6:3, 6:7 (2:7), 6:4 in 3:05 hours and is now at the Grand Slam tournament for the second time in his career Melbourne in the semi-finals. “I feel good. “I have a lot of blood under my toenails, which is painful,” said Zverev: “But I would much rather feel like this and be in the semi-finals than be at home and watch the tournament from home.”
