‘Doing what Rafa did is a way of saying the body can endure it..’
Carlos Alcaraz faces a plethora of challenges — Novak Djokovic being motivated to reach history, his serve that denied Jannik Sinner breaks in the fifth set, and some pulsating forehand howitzers on the lines that the Serb is capable of. But the biggest block Alcaraz needs to overcome is of playing a final so soon after his wrenching semis against Zverev.
For that he has sought inspiration from Rafael Nadal’s 2012 AO final, hoping yo reverse the result though.
FOLLOW: Djokovic vs Alcaraz LIVE Score, Australian Open Final 2026
Speaking in the Spanish portion of his press conference post semis, Alcaraz recalled how Nadal will inadvertently be helping him in this upcoming Australian Open final, according to Tennis.com.
He first explained how he had gotten over the semis hurdle. “Well, the truth is that it was an incredible match,” Tennis.com translated from Spanish.
“I think in that fifth set, when I was feeling a little bit better physically, the first game came, and I think that was an impressive game. I think that lasted 34 games, playing at a really high level. But honestly, I didn’t feel like I was going to retire at any point. I always thought I was going to come back, but worse things have happened; I’ve come back from worse things,” the 22-year-old had said on Friday.
“I always trusted that I was going to come back in the fifth set. It’s true that there were several games, especially with his serve, where I had a break point, which I didn’t take advantage of, and that caused me some concern, a little,” he lamented. That inability which even Sinner couldn’t overcome, might pose troubles.
“But it also made me believe that at any moment, the break could come. Closing out a match of this magnitude is never easy. I knew I was going to have my opportunities, and I tried to take advantage of them. I think in that game [where he broke] I went all out, and in the end things worked out well because I went out there to create them,” Tennis.com quoted Alcaraz as saying.
But looking ahead to the final, he would channelise the fighting spirit of his fellow Spanish el taurean, Rafael Nadal. “On Sunday, well, we’re going to try to be as good as possible. We’re going to try to do everything in our power to be as decent as possible. Well, it reminds me a bit of when Rafa had that great semifinal in Australia and then thought he wouldn’t be able to do it, only to lose in the fifth set,” he recalled of the 2012 final where the searing image of both Nadal and Djokovic needing chairs during the championship speeches, is imprinted on memories after a scalding five-set wringer.
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Nadal had beaten Roger Federer in the semi-finals while Djokovic got past a punishing five-set match with Andy Murray, and Nadal hoped to pounce on his physically drained opponent, but Djokovic had denied him.
“I think in a Grand Slam final, you never know, you can say you’re tired and you shouldn’t give it your all. I think the match will carry us along, you know? It’ll carry us to a good final. Doing what Rafa did is a clear way of saying that the body can endure it, although if your mind is there or if your mind has things clear.”
The then longest match in Australian Open history and the longest major singles final of all time, had left an imprint on Alcaraz too. While the Serbian came back from being a set down, eventually winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5, back then, Alcaraz will hope he can go all the way.
