Carlos Alcaraz powers into Australian Open semifinals, two wins from career Grand Slam

Carlos Alcaraz marched into the Australian Open semifinals on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, defeating Australia’s Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena. The win keeps Alcaraz two matches away from completing a career Grand Slam, a milestone that would place him among the sport’s rarest achievers and, at 22, potentially make him the youngest man to do it.

The match began with the kind of intensity Melbourne had hoped for, as de Minaur matched Alcaraz in the opening set and drew the crowd into a tense, high-speed exchange of pressure points and defensive sprints. But after the first hour, Alcaraz’s combination of serve quality, weight of shot, and controlled aggression began to separate him from the home favorite.

Alcaraz’s pattern was clear: early breaks, sustained scoreboard pressure, and then a tightening of baseline control that forced de Minaur to defend deeper and strike closer to the lines. De Minaur produced moments of brilliance and athleticism, yet struggled to sustain parity once Alcaraz adjusted his timing and refused to be rushed into low-percentage swings.

The result continues a tough Grand Slam trend for de Minaur, who has repeatedly reached the quarterfinal stage but has found the final step into the last four brutally difficult against elite opponents. For Alcaraz, the performance reinforced his status as the tournament’s front-runner, with his level rising as the draw narrows.

Alcaraz will face Alexander Zverev next, with their head-to-head history suggesting a tightly contested semifinal. With Australian singles hopes now ended, the crowd’s focus shifts to doubles contenders—while Alcaraz turns his attention to the two wins that would complete a historic set of major titles.