Alexander Zverev humorously labeled Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz as “boring” after his request for an Australian Open night match was rejected. The German had hoped to play his quarter-final against Tommy Paul in the evening but was denied by the tournament organizers.
After securing a 6-7 (1-7), 6-7 (0-7), 6-2, 1-6 victory over Paul, Zverev expressed his love for night matches in Melbourne. “I absolutely love playing night matches here,” he said. “I understand that Novak versus Carlos is the highlight, but I did try to request a night match, and it was denied very quickly.”
Zverev will now face either Djokovic or Alcaraz in his third Australian Open semi-final. When asked if he would stay to watch their quarter-final clash, he joked to the crowd, “Absolutely boring match-up, no reason to stay after watching Zverev vs Paul.”
With a bit more seriousness, Zverev added, “They’re two of the best players to ever pick up a tennis racket. Novak is the greatest of all time right now, and Carlos will be one of the best when he eventually retires. It’s a privilege to witness their clash of generations.”
Zverev acknowledged he would need to improve his game ahead of his semi-final, particularly lamenting his unforced errors against Paul. “I should have been down two sets to love,” he admitted. “He played better than me early on, but somehow I won the first two sets. The fourth set was definitely my best, and I’m thrilled to be back in the semi-finals.”
The match also saw some drama, as Zverev was given a code violation for an audible obscenity and vented his frustration at the umpire after a member of the crowd distracted him during a point. However, the most bizarre moment came when a feather floated onto the court mid-rally, prompting the umpire to call a let and allowing Paul to retake his first serve. Zverev, unhappy with the decision, exclaimed, “Buddy, it’s a feather! There are millions of them on the court.”
Zverev’s quest for his first Grand Slam title will continue later this week.
