Carlos Alcaraz won't be the first or last tennis player to use a medical timeout to try and gain an advantage.
His approach to his Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev on Friday was viewed by many as quite controversial.
It took place in the third set, which Alcaraz eventually dropped, along with the fourth, before claiming the match in five to advance to a final against Novak Djokovic.
Late in the set, Alcaraz was allowed to take a medical timeout for cramps. That is distinctly its own note in the 2026 regulations, in which it says specifically such a timeout may not be taken for such a reason.
Zverev wasn't happy:
Zverev to supervisor while Carlos Alcaraz received a medical timeout while cramping after the changeover was done
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 30, 2026
"He has cramps. This is absolute bullshit. That is unbelieveable. You can not be serious. You protect the both of them. Its unbeliveable" pic.twitter.com/CX0GvCq1ai
The "protect the both of them" line may very well be referring to earlier in the tournament when Jannik Sinner got a break by having the roof be closed to allow him to recover while struggling physically against Eliot Spizzirri.
Then at the end of the third set, Alcaraz appeared to deke that he was going to retire from the match. At a change-over, Alcaraz took a few steps toward Zverev at the net, as if to shake his hand and end the match and let Zverev move on:
Alcaraz really faked retirement.
— Corvath Draemir (@Archaicmind3000) January 30, 2026
Even the commentators were surprised:
“– Maybe Alcaraz was thinking of retiring, Chris.
– I thought the same thing, Patrick. Zverev was a bit confused there. Alcaraz gave Zverev a bit of an apology.”
Shocking pic.twitter.com/oVC2gRE5gS
It's unclear how the stoppage Friday ended up affecting the match, or why Alcaraz made that odd move toward and then away from Zverev at the net.
In the end, it's Alcaraz who found a way to rally in the final set, and it's a brutal defeat for Zverev. It wasn't without its controversy, either.
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