“I had absolutely nothing left in me”
Alexander Zverev admitted he reached his physical limit during his five-set loss, describing the match as one of the toughest battles of his career despite coming agonisingly close to victory.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Zverev reflected on the physical toll of the encounter, key moments that slipped away, and his belief that the performance can still be a foundation for a strong season ahead.
Physical exhaustion decided the final moments
Zverev made it clear that by the closing stages of the match, his body was no longer responding the way he needed it to.
“I had absolutely nothing left in me,” Zverev said. “Even at 5–4 in the fifth set, normally I can rely on my serve a bit more, but my legs stopped pushing upwards. That’s just the way it is. This is life. We move on.”
The German explained that fatigue ultimately limited his ability to close out the match when the opportunity presented itself.
Medical timeout controversy not the focus
Asked about the situation surrounding Alcaraz’s physical struggles and the medical timeout, Zverev acknowledged his frustration but insisted it should not overshadow the quality of the contest.
“He was cramping, and normally you can’t take a medical timeout for cramping,” Zverev said. “I didn’t like it, but it wasn’t my decision.”
Despite the momentary tension, Zverev made it clear he preferred to shift attention away from the incident.
“This was one of the best battles there has ever been in Australia,” he said. “It doesn’t deserve to be the topic now.”
Second set the biggest regret
When asked about regrets, Zverev pointed immediately to the second set as the key turning point of the match.
“That’s the one I feel like I should have won,” he said. “Especially serving for it. I didn’t play a good game there.”
In contrast, Zverev said he had fewer regrets about the fifth set, explaining that exhaustion left him simply trying to stay on the court.
“In the fifth set, I was hanging on for dear life,” he admitted. “I was exhausted.”
Pride in the fight despite disappointment
Zverev described the match as probably the toughest of his career and admitted that immediate emotions were difficult to process due to sheer fatigue.
“I’m way too tired to have emotions right now,” he said. “Maybe in a couple of days I’ll feel it more.”
Still, the German found reasons for pride in his performance, particularly after recovering from a two-set deficit.
“I’m proud of myself for the way I hung in there and came back from two sets down,” Zverev said. “Of course it’s disappointing, but this is the start of the year.”
Confidence heading into the season
Despite the loss, Zverev expressed optimism about the months ahead, believing his level and preparation point toward a positive season.
“If I continue playing this way, if I continue training the way I train and working on the things I focused on in the offseason, I believe it’s going to be a good year for me,” he said.
Respect for Alcaraz in long battles
Zverev acknowledged Alcaraz’s physical resilience, particularly his ability to recover late in the match.
“He’s very fit, very strong, and hard to beat in long matches,” Zverev said. “The way he was moving again in the fifth set was incredible.”
While he admitted he could have been more aggressive at certain stages, Zverev concluded by emphasizing the overall quality of the contest.
“In the end, it was just a great battle and overall a really good match.”