Miracle man Alcaraz beats leg issue, Zverev to make Australian Open final

MELBOURNE, Jan 30 : Carlos Alcaraz fought through a leg issue to deliver a 6-4 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 6-7(4) 7-5 win over Alexander Zverev on Friday and reach his first Australian Open final, the Spaniard somehow managing to keep his career Grand Slam bid alive.

The 22-year-old looked concerned and was barely able to move after experiencing the issue at 4-4 in the third set, which he lost in a tiebreak, and he relied on his ball-striking and placement to land winners and prolong the contest.

Alcaraz continued to battle away, seeing off Zverev in the decider and will aim to recover for a meeting with either Novak Djokovic or Jannik Sinner in Sunday's title clash, where a victory will see him complete his set of majors.

No stranger to epic five-setters on the big stage after his French Open final win over Sinner last year, Alcaraz said belief was the key to prevailing in the longest Australian Open semi-final at five hours and 27 minutes.

"I always say that you have to believe in yourself no matter what you're struggling," Alcaraz said.

"I was struggling in the middle of the third set. Physically it was one of the most demanding matches I have ever played in my short career, I would say.

"But, I've been in this kind of situation, this kind of match before. I had to put my heart into the match. I did it, I fought until the last ball... I'm extremely proud of the way that I fought, the way that I came back in the fifth set."

After eight straight holds of serve on a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena, Alcaraz was gifted the opening break when Zverev produced a double fault, and the Spaniard won the next game to love and pocketed the opening set.

Zverev, who appeared unhappy with the tension in his racket strings at the end of the opening stanza,