Alcaraz raises the bar vs. De Minaur, cracks SF code at Australian Open

  • Posted: Jan 27, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz moved to within two wins of completing the Career Grand Slam on Tuesday at the Australian Open, where he powered into his first semi-final at Melbourne Park.

The World No. 1 absorbed and eventually neutralised the full force of Alex de Minaur’s newly sharpened attacking approach, sealing a statement 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 victory in front of a vibrant Rod Laver Arena crowd. Chasing his seventh major title — and his first in Melbourne — Alcaraz set up a semi-final clash with last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev.

“I’m just really happy with the level that I’m playing every match, since the first round,” Alcaraz said. “I’ve been increasing my level each match. I was talking with my team about being patient, because I want all the things right now. But they told me to be patient, that the level will come. Today I felt really comfortable, playing great tennis, which I’m really proud about.”

De Minaur offered a glimpse of the blueprint required to trouble the game’s elite, notably Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but the contest ultimately underlined the gap that still exists at the highest level. Alcaraz struck with authority from the baseline, dictating play with conviction as he surged into the semi-finals without dropping a set.

This fortnight, the 22-year-old Spaniard is aiming to become just 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.

Following his fourth-round win over Alexander Bublik, De Minaur spoke candidly about his determination to avoid becoming a “punching bag” for the top players and to improve his ability to move opponents out of position. His speed and relentless defence have driven his rise to a career-high No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings, but his comments reflect the evolution required to challenge a new generation that has claimed the past eight major titles.

For a set, De Minaur delivered on that ambition. The opening set of the quarter-final featured five breaks of serve, with the Australian clawing back from deficits of 0-3 and 3-5 by stepping inside the court and playing on his own terms. That resistance, however, proved temporary.

“It’s really difficult,” Alcaraz said when asked about playing De Minaur. “I started the match really well, hitting the ball really well. But Alex puts you in a rush all the time, so you want to hit the ball as hard as you can, which is impossible against him. So from 3-0 until 4-3, 4-4, I wanted everything in a rush, so I took a moment, took a break mentally. I was more patient until the end of the match.”

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Alcaraz shifted gears decisively, suffocating the contest with relentless ball striking as he raced towards a two-hour, 15-minute victory. The win extended his Lexus ATP Head2Head advantage over De Minaur to 6-0, with the Australian having claimed just two sets across their rivalry, which began in 2022.

After quarter-final exits at Melbourne Park in 2024 and 2025, Alcaraz has now improved to a 16-4 record at the tournament, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Awaiting him in the last four is a rematch of his 2024 quarter-final against Zverev, which the German won in four sets.

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