Alexander Zverev produced a magnificent performance to defeat world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling battle at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
The German sixth seed appeared to be racing to victory in the quarter-final clash, taking the first two sets and finding himself 5-2 up in the third.
But two-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz showed his mettle by then winning the next six games on the spin to drag himself back into the match.
A deciding fifth set looked on the cards at 4-4 in the fourth until Zverev broke the Spaniard and then held his serve to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 to seal his first ever win against a top-five ranked opponent in a Grand Slam.
“I'm playing one of the best players in the world especially over the last two years. He's been number one and number two in the world and won two Grand Slams,” said Zverev.
“When you're up 6-1, 6-3, 5-2 you start thinking... I mean we're all human. It's a huge honour to play against guys like him and then when you're so close to winning, obviously your brain starts going and it's not always helpful but I'm happy that I got it in the end.”
Third seed Medvedev admitted his five-set victory over Poland's Hurkacz has left him “destroyed” after a near four-hour fight in sweltering Melbourne heat.
Medvedev overcame the ninth seed 7-6, 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 but admitted he was still feeling the effects of his second-round five-setter against Emil Ruusuvuori, which finished at 3.40am local time in what has been a gruelling tournament.
“After every match I'm in the locker room I'm destroyed,” Medvedev said. “But then we do a good job. One day off is probably enough to feel good the next day.
“So far, so good, in the beginning of the matches and that's what matters. Then try to win and if you're dead after, doesn't matter because you have a day off.”
The Russian – who made the Melbourne final in 2021 and 2022, but lost to Novak Djokovic then Rafael Nadal – admitted he was the type of player who struggled in long matches and the heat.
“Sometimes I see some guys, like Hubi [Hurkacz] is one of them, and I see them play five-set matches, 7-6 in the fifth, they seem fine in the locker room,” said the 2021 US Open winner.
“I'm, like, 'Wow'. Either maybe it's a question of metabolism and it's genetics. I honestly have no idea. I know I get tired.”
Djokovic, looking to win his 11th Australian Open crown and 25th Grand Slam, faces Jannik Sinner in the other last-four clash, also on Friday.
In the women's draw, Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska's dream run continued as she defeated unseeded Czech Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4.
Yastremska, 23, is the first women's qualifier to reach the last four in Melbourne since Australia's Christine Matison in 1978.
“It's nice to make history, because at that time I wasn't even born,” said the world No 93, who set up a clash against Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen. “I’m super-happy, very tired.”
Yastremska dedicated her win to her country, saying: “I think it's my mission here. I'm just trying to give the signal to Ukraine that I'm really proud of it.
“They really deserve huge respect. I always try to write something for Ukraine, about Ukraine.”
Zheng came from a set down to see off unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.
The 21-year-old, known to her fans as “Queen Wen”, had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in eight previous Grand Slam appearances but held her nerve for the win.
“In the first set we had a big competition and the match was really tough for me,” said Zheng, who will move into the world's top 10 when the rankings are updated on Monday. “I just told myself to stay focused, not think any more about the first set and I'm so happy right now, like really excited.”
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka takes on American teenager Coco Gauff in the other semi-final on Thursday when the world No 2 will look to avenge her defeat in the US Open final last September.
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m. Winner: Rio Angie, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Trenchard, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Mulfit, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 1,200m. Winner: Waady, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 2,000m. Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm:Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m. Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
