Alexander Zverev seals the deal against America’s Tommy Paul and secured his spot in the SF of the 2025 AO. This is his ninth Grand Slam SF since 2020, the second-most after the former world number one, Novak Djokovic (13). Zverev has previously SF of this tournament twice in his career (2020 and 2024), however, he failed to make it count when it mattered the most! Now, it’s perhaps time for the German to rise on this big occasion. Who’ll be his next opponent? Well, to get this answer we need to wait for a few more hours as Novak Djokovic is all set to face Carlos Alcaraz in a blockbuster QF clash at the Rod Laver Arena! What are Zverev’s thoughts on that epic battle, though?

Djokovic and Alcaraz have faced each other seven times in their careers, and both of them have put on a show in each of their previous meetings. The last time they faced each other was at the Paris Olympics, where the Serbian got the upper hand over Alcaraz by 7-6(3),7-6(2). What’ll be the scoreline this time? Well, players are excited and so are the fans, but what will Alexander Zverev keep an eye on who’s going to be his opponent in the SF?

Shortly after securing a hard-fought victory [7-6(1),7-6(0),2-6,6-1] over Tommy Paul, the German attended an on-court interview. During the interview, he was asked if he intends to watch the Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz clash in the last eight. In reply to that, Alexander Zverev surprisingly said, “Absolutely boring match-up, no reason [to the crowd] of staying here after just watching Zverev vs Paul.” Surely, it was a tough tennis and mental battle between Zverev and Paul. The American looked quite impressive in the third set against the number 2.

So, it was quite an entertainment for the crowd. With his 30th AO match win, Zverev has now passed Boris Becker to claim sole ownership of the all-time record for most singles wins by a German man at the event. Can Alexander Zverev now clinch more victories and secure his first Grand Slam title of his career? Well, for that he needs to pass the challenge which will be put on by either Djokovic or Alcaraz in the SF.

Further sharing his thoughts on this epic battle, with a less sarcastic tone, the German added, “Two of the best players that probably ever touched a tennis racket. Novak is the greatest of all time right now. Carlos is going to be one of them when he hangs it up. So it’s a clash of generations. They have played Grand Slam finals before, they have played Olympic finals. So it’s going to be a privilege to witness it here in Australia so please guys enjoy it.”

Novak Djokovic currently has a 4-3 lead over Carlos Alcaraz in the H2H record. The Serb is now desperate to prove a point to his naysayers after failing to win a major title last year. On the other hand, Alcaraz will be aiming for his first victory over Novak Djokovic on hard courts. We’ve heard what Zverev had to say about this epic match, now let’s check out what both these players are saying about their high-octane clash.

“This is not the right player to play in a quarterfinal” – Carlos Alcaraz shares his thoughts on his epic battle against Novak Djokovic

Can Novak Djokovic win his 11th AO title and take his Grand Slam titles tally to 25? Well, time will tell! For the time being, the Serb has said that he’s glad to beat Tomas Machac and Jiri Lehecka in straight sets in his previous matches. So, banking on the performance in his last two matches, Djokovic looks quite confident entering this mega clash. He currently boasts a ridiculous 94-9 record at the tournament over his career and talking about his next battle, he said, “I am expecting a big battle, as is the case in most of our matches where we have faced each other. It reminds me of my matchups versus Nadal in terms of the intensity and the energy on the court.“

Further speaking on Carlos Alcaraz he said, “He’s a very dynamic, explosive player. Incredibly talented. Charismatic. Great to watch; not so great to play against.” What did the Spaniard say about this epic battle? Well, after seeing this matchup, Alcaraz jokes, “This is not the right player to play in a quarterfinal. In a Grand Slam, from the quarterfinals to the finals, those players are the best in the world. If it wasn’t Djokovic in the quarterfinals, it could be other players in the top ranking.” 

He also mentioned, “If I think about everything [Djokovic] has done in tennis, I couldn’t play.” What do other tennis experts think of this epic battle? Just like everyone even the former world number one, Andy Roddick said that he’s eagerly waiting for this high-demanding contest. He also explained what Novak Djokovic needs to do to get the better of the in-form Spaniard.

“That’s what Novak’s doing and he’s great at it – switching directions, keeping space between. So when Carlos unloads in the forehand, making sure he does it from even six inches or a foot further back than he normally would. All those little miniature wins matter over the course of time in this matchup,” said Roddick. He also feels that the second serves will play a huge role in what promises to be a thrilling of a battle in Melbourne! Who’s your pick for this match, though?