AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 25, 2024

Alexander Zverev

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/C. Alcaraz

6-1, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Congratulations on your win today. Obviously you showed a lot of emotions at the end of it. Can you talk us through the match and how gutting it was for you not to take it in the third set.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, I made it complicated in a way, but also credit to him. I mean, obviously I felt like he started to play his best tennis being down 5-2 in the third.

But I thought I had the perfect start, in a way. I was rushing him quite a lot. I was playing extremely aggressive. Kind of taking the racquet out of his hands. Because to be honest, you have to do that against him. If you let him control the points, let him control the game, and the pace of the game, he's unbeatable. He's the best player in the world when it comes to that.

I really had to take it into my own hands, and I felt like I did that well.

Q. Is it your expectation that you'll play the night game on the Friday night, or do you expect that Novak, given his love of the prime time, might be back?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I'm playing at night. It's decided already. No? Yeah. I'm playing 7:30, from what I understand.

But it's always like that, no? If they have two days off they play during the day. We have one day off, from what I know.

Q. Looking over your career, how difficult has it been getting to semifinals, finals, and not being able to quite push through? How much is it driving you to win that Grand Slam title?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Obviously a lot, especially after the injury, I think it did hold me back in a way. You know, I was kind of on top of my game before the injury happened, you know. I was at my best level so far in my career.

I'm obviously extremely happy to be back where I am and winning these kind of matches, and, you know, giving myself the chance again. Because last year, for the first part of the season, or actually throughout the year, I wasn't a slam contender. I wasn't a contender to win tournaments like that.

If I am now, I'm very happy about that.

Q. First-serve percentage in the first set was quite remarkable. Can you remember recently being in the mode like that so much?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, it obviously definitely helps, but I think throughout the whole tournament it's been close to or even above 70%, so I hope it continues that way (smiling). It was 90%? Well, if it's 90%, then even better.

Q. That's your first win over a top-5 opponent at a Slam. Would you classify that as your best win of your career thus far?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Sinner was not top 5? Carlos was not top 5 either?

Q. He's sixth.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I didn't know that, but thank you.

Look, I'm just super happy to be in the semifinals and super excited. And being able to play these kind of matches again and being able to compete against these kind of players.

I'm just, to be honest, I'm just happy about that.

Q. You spoke a little bit about Medvedev on court. He has got you I think five out of six times last year. Can you talk about that matchup, and why you think he's been sort of...

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: A lot of matches were extremely close, obviously. You know, a lot of the times it came down to, you know, him being extremely confident last year, him playing some of the best tennis of his life, and me coming back from injury and not having, you know, the confidence in deciding moments and not being able to finish matches.

That's what it came down to in Indian Wells, that's what it came down to in Monte-Carlo, as well.

But yeah, he's obviously extremely difficult to play. No question about it. He's one of the best players in the world right now.

But obviously I'm happy in the position I am, and I'm going to do everything I can to win that match on Friday.