Alcaraz’s Australian Open dream run comes to an end in thrilling quarter-final defeat to Zverev

Spanish teenager’s bid for a maiden Grand Slam title falls short after four-set battle with German sixth seed

Second seed Carlos Alcaraz’s Australian Open run came to an end on Wednesday night as he was defeated by Alexander Zverev in a thrilling four-set quarter-final encounter.

The 19-year-old Spaniard had been one of the stars of the tournament, but he was ultimately outclassed by the German sixth seed, who won 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(7), 6-4.

Alcaraz started the match brightly, breaking Zverev’s serve in the opening game. However, the German hit back immediately and raced through the first two sets.

The third set was a much tighter affair, with both players exchanging breaks of serve. Alcaraz had a chance to serve for the set at 5-4, but Zverev saved two set points and eventually forced a tie-break.

The tie-break was a tense affair, but Zverev eventually came out on top 7-2.

Alcaraz fought back bravely in the fourth set, but Zverev served out for the match to book his place in the semi-finals, where he will face Daniil Medvedev.

Despite the defeat, Alcaraz can be proud of his performance at the Australian Open. He reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final and showed that he has the potential to win major titles in the future.

Zverev, meanwhile, will be looking to go one better than his runners-up finish at the US Open last year. He is in good form and will be a tough opponent for Medvedev in the semi-finals.

Here are some of the key takeaways from Alcaraz’s defeat to Zverev:

• Zverev served superbly, winning 82% of his first-serve points.
• Alcaraz made too many unforced errors, hitting 41 compared to Zverev’s 26.
• Zverev was the more aggressive player, hitting 55 winners compared to Alcaraz’s 32.

Alcaraz may be disappointed with his defeat, but he can still take heart from his performance at the Australian Open. He is a talented young player with a bright future ahead of him.

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