Alcaraz Tames De Minaur to Claim First Melbourne Semifinal
Carlos Alcaraz weathered Alex de Minaur’s early storm at the Australian Open, turning pressure into power for a decisive quarterfinal win that edges him toward a career Grand Slam.
Under the buzzing lights of Rod Laver Arena, Carlos Alcaraz turned a chaotic opener into a masterclass of control on Tuesday at the Australian Open. The 22-year-old Spaniard, eyes fixed on his seventh major and a long-awaited Melbourne title, absorbed Alex de Minaur’s aggressive bursts before dismantling them in a 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 quarterfinal victory. This breakthrough marks his first semifinal at Melbourne Park, setting up a rematch with Alexander Zverev and positioning him two wins from joining the elite Career Grand Slam club.
De Minaur arrived with fire in his veins, determined to evolve beyond defense after his fourth-round win over Alexander Bublik. Ranked a career-high No. 6, the Australian aimed to disrupt the top tier, including Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, by stepping inside the baseline and dictating terms. For stretches in the first set, his speed and flat backhands forced Alcaraz into rushed swings, breaking serve three times amid deficits of 0-3 and 3-5.
“I’m just really happy with the level that I’m playing every match, since the first round,” Alcaraz said. “I’ve been increasing my level each match. I was talking with my team about being patient, because I want all the things right now. But they told me to be patient, that the level will come. Today I felt really comfortable, playing great tennis, which I’m really proud about.”
FIRST AO SEMI-FINAL @carlosalcaraz becomes the 8th Spanish man in history to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.
7-5, 6-2, 6-1 vs de Minaur.@AustralianOpen | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/9H5MRIiLmB— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 27, 2026
De Minaur‘s blueprint tests early resolve
The opening set crackled with tension as De Minaur redirected Alcaraz’s heavy topspin with sharp inside-out forehands, his quick crosscourt replies keeping the Spaniard pinned. Five breaks of serve turned the frame into a scramble, the Australian’s one–two patterns—flat serves followed by down-the-line drives—exposing Alcaraz’s initial impatience. Yet the plexicushion hard courts amplified Alcaraz’s deeper returns, drawing out rallies that began to wear on De Minaur’s aggressive risks.
Alcaraz’s footwork shone through the chaos, allowing him to absorb pace and counter with inside-in forehands that opened angles. The crowd’s roar swelled with each shift, sensing the psychological tug-of-war as the Spaniard reset between points, breathing deep in the humid air. By holding at 5-5, he flipped the momentum, a crosscourt forehand winner sealing the set and quieting De Minaur’s surge.
Patience unlocks baseline dominance
Once ahead, Alcaraz suffocated the match with varied spin, mixing heavy topspin forehands to push De Minaur back and slice drop shots to lure him forward. The second set blurred into baseline rallies where Alcaraz’s explosive movement turned defense into 1–2 patterns, breaking serve twice as the Australian’s flat shots faltered under pressure. “It’s really difficult,” Alcaraz reflected on facing De Minaur, noting how the speedster rushes opponents into errors.
He paused mentally mid-match, stepping back to recalibrate against the relentless tempo, transforming early frustration into focused conviction. The third set became a rout, Alcaraz cruising 6-1 in two hours and 15 minutes, extending his head-to-head edge to 6-0 since their 2022 clashes, with De Minaur taking just two sets total. This no-sets-dropped run improves his Australian Open record to 16-4, a leap from quarterfinal exits in 2024 and 2025.
Zverev rematch heightens the stakes
Aiming to become the sixth Open Era man with a Career Grand Slam—alongside Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Rod Laver—Alcaraz carries quiet confidence into the semis. De Minaur’s effort glimpsed a path for the next tier: blending speed with proactive attacks to bridge the elite gap. The vibrant Rod Laver Arena crowd, alive with Australian Open energy, cheered the shift as Alcaraz dismantled that blueprint.
Now facing Zverev, last year’s runner-up who beat him in four sets during the 2024 quarterfinal, Alcaraz draws on his team’s patience mantra. The German awaits a player who’s grown beyond raw power, harnessing mental resets to conquer Melbourne’s slower hard courts. Two wins from history, the Spaniard eyes a title that could redefine his legacy Down Under.
