Carlos Alcaraz raises the bar against Alex de Minaur, breaks the SF code at the Australian Open | ATP Tour

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Alcaraz raises bar against De Minaur, breaks SF code at Australian Open

World No. 1, chasing first AO title, sets up final clash with Zverev in Melbourne

January 27, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz moved to two career Grand Slam victories on Tuesday at the Australian Open, where he reached the semifinals at Melbourne Park.

World No. 1 took on and eventually exhausted the full force of Alex de Minaur’s newly honed attack style, sealing a statement 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 victory in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena crowd. Chasing his seventh major title – and first in Melbourne – Alcaraz set up a semi-final clash with last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev.

“I’m very happy with the level I’ve been playing in every game since the first round,” said Alcaraz. “I have been raising my level in each game. I was talking to my team about patience, because I want everything right now. But they told me to be patient, that the level will come. Today I felt really comfortable, playing tennis, which I am proud of.”

FIRST semi-FINAL of AO ✅@carlosalcaraz becomes the 8th Spaniard in history to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

7-5, 6-2, 6-1 vs de Minaur.@Australian Open | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/9H5MRIiLmB

– ATP Tour (@atptour) January 27, 2026

De Minaur offered glimpses of the blueprint needed to tackle the game’s elite, particularly Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but the competition ended up underscoring the gap that still exists at the highest level. Alcaraz hit with authority from the baseline, speaking with confidence as she advanced to the semifinals without dropping a set.

In these two days, the 22-year-old Spaniard aims to become the sixth man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam, joining Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Rod Laver.

After his fourth-round victory over Alexander Bublik, De Minaur spoke candidly about his determination to avoid becoming a “punching bag” for top players and improve his ability to take opponents out of position. His speed and relentless defense have led to his ascent to a career No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings, but his comments reflect the evolution needed to challenge the new generation that has called for the past eight major titles.

According to the set, De Minaur presented that wish. The opening set of the quarter-final featured a five-game break, the Australian came back from 0-3 and 3-5 down by going inside the court and playing to his liking. However, that opposition was short-lived.

“It’s really hard,” Alcaraz said when asked about playing De Minaur. “I started the game well, I hit the ball really well. But Alex put you in a hurry all the time, so you want to hit the ball with your power, which is impossible against him. So from 3-0 until 4-3, 4-4, I wanted everything in a hurry, so I took a moment, I took a mental break. I was very patient until the end of the game.”

Alcaraz shifted gears relentlessly, strangling the competition with endless football as he cruised to a two-hour, 15-minute victory. The win extended his Lexus ATP Head2Head advantage over De Minaur to 6-0, with the Australian taking just two sets in their rivalry, which began in 2022.

After reaching the finals at Melbourne Park in 2024 and 2025, Alcaraz has now improved to a 16-4 record in the tournament, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. What awaits him in the last four is the 2024 quarter-final against Zverev, who won the German in four sets.