Alexander Zverev left fuming at 'unbelievable' Carlos Alcaraz medical timeout in Australian Open semi-final - 'Absolute bull**t'

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Alexander Zverev didn't hide his frustration after Carlos Alcaraz was given a medical timeout in their Australian Open semi-final. Alcaraz appeared to be battling cramp and Zverev said it was "unbelievable" that he was allowed treatment. "You are protecting both of them [Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner], this is unbelievable," he complained to the supervisor.

Alcaraz starts to suffer physically as Zverev complains to the umpire

Video credit: TNT Sports

An angry Alexander Zverev accused the Australian Open of "protecting" Carlos Alcaraz after allowing him an "unbelievable" medical timeout during their dramatic semi-final clash.

World No. 1 Alcaraz looked to be on his way to a first final in Melbourne as he took the first two sets of the match against Zverev.

However, there was an unexpected twist late in the third set as Alcaraz started to struggle physically.

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After losing a point at 4-4, Alcaraz took his time recovering and appeared to be stretching his groin.

Zverev believed it was cramp and felt chair umpire Marijana Veljovic was giving Alcaraz too much time to recover before the next point.

"I think Zverev has got a very good point," said TNT Sports commentator Miles Maclagan.

"He has got a time violation [earlier in the match] and now she [Veljovic] is being lenient with him because of his physical condition. Zverev would argue he has worked hard to push him into that sort of state.

"Alcaraz is in a bit of trouble here."

There was further frustration to follow for Zverev as Alcaraz took a medical timeout after the game to receive treatment.

Players are not supposed to be allowed to receive medical timeouts solely to treat muscle cramping.

'It's a grey area' - Was Zverev right to be annoyed by Alcaraz medical timeout?

Video credit: TNT Sports

"The rules become very grey," said Maclagan.

"You’re not allowed a medical timeout for cramp, that’s a loss of conditioning. But the difference between cramp and an injury becomes very blurred, it is being treated as an injury in the thigh.

"From Zverev’s point of view he is viewing it as cramp and wants to press the pace.

"You can understand his argument and a lot of people think if there is a medical timeout then there should be a penalty for it because Zverev’s fitness has been unquestionable and that’s one of his major strengths which has been somewhat negated by his opponent being able to take a timeout.

Zverev takes third set against physically struggling Alcaraz

Video credit: TNT Sports

"He has worked very hard, not just in this match but across the course of his career to be able to sustain a workrate that is difficult for his opponent. Whether it’s cramp or not, it’s because of the duress that Zverev was able to put him under.

"I think we see a lot with injuries that it’s questionable with the physio coming out...this has been all for Alcaraz’s benefit."

As Alcaraz received treatment, Zverev had a heated exchange with supervisor Andreas Egli in German.

"He has cramp! He can't take a medical, he is cramping. What else should it be? This is absolute bulls**t! This is unbelievable," complained Zverev.

"You are protecting both of them [Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner], this is unbelievable. Unbelievable. This is not possible. This is not possible. You cannot be serious."

Alcaraz managed to play on but appeared hampered by the issue as he couldn’t move freely and lost the third set.

Highlights: Alcaraz overcomes cramp to beat Zverev in five-set thriller

Video credit: TNT Sports

His condition seemed to improve in the fourth set after taking some pickle juice, but Zverev managed to force a decider.

Zverev broke in the first game of the fifth set but Alcaraz fought back and won a thriller in five hours and 27 minutes to reach the final.

Asked about Alcaraz's timeout afterwards, Zverev said: "He was cramping, so normally you can't take a medical timeout for cramping, yeah. What can I do? It's not my decision. I didn't like it, but it's not my decision."

Alcaraz said afterwards that he did not initially think the issue was cramp.

"In the beginning it was on a specific muscle, so I didn't think it was cramp at all," he said.

"I didn't know exactly what it was, because I just go around to a forehand and then I started to feel it just in the right adductor, so that's why I just called the physio, because it was just that moment, the rest of the legs, the left leg was good. I mean, not good, but decent.

Djokovic congratulates Alcaraz after epic semi-final win

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"After that with all the stress that I didn't know what's going on, didn't know if it's going to be worse or not, everything came after all.

"But in that moment I just talk to the physio and said, 'OK, I just went to run to the forehand side, and I started to feel like the right adductor'. He decided to take the medical timeout, and he did it."

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