Alexander Zverev topples Tommy Paul to return to Australian Open semi-finals | Australian Open 2025

Alexander Zverev has survived an extraordinary meltdown to sink Tommy Paul in four sets and enter the Australian Open semi-finals.

Second-seeded Zverev, chasing an elusive grand slam title, was almost brought down by, of all things, a feather before steadied himself to prevail 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1. Zverev will next face either world no. 3 Carlos Alcaraz or 10-time champion Novak Djokovic, who plays on Tuesday night, in his third semi-final at Melbourne Park.

“To be honest, I should have been down two sets to love, he served (for) both of those sets. He was playing better than me,” Zverev said. “I wasn’t playing well and I thought he was.

“I somehow won the first set, somehow won the second set, (then) all of a sudden I’m up two sets to love and I only need one more set. Fourth set was definitely the best , I’ve played and of course I’m extremely happy to be back in the semi-finals.”

Tennis’ biggest unfulfilled talent, with two grand slam final losses to his name, Zverev won the first set in a tiebreak, fighting back after Paul served for the set at 6-5. But with a serving Paul leading the second set 4-2, Zverev had his feathers ruffled – then almost imploded.

On the stroke of half-time, the German was incensed by the chair umpire after someone in the crowd called out just as he was about to swing at a ball close to the line – leading him to believe it had been called out. No action was taken. The 27-year-old then dropped the following point and received a code violation for an audible obscenity.

Then, at deuce, the umpire called a lay after a feather landed near the ball just as Zverev was about to hit it. This meant that the point was replayed and Paul received another first serve. Zverev plucked the feather — courtesy of one of the many seagulls in the Rod Laver Arena rafters — from the court and waved it at the umpire in frustration.

“Honey, it’s a feather!” Zverev said. “There are millions of them on the field.”

But instead of imploding, the German was useless as he forced the set into a tiebreak. Paul, 27, served for the set at 5-3 and got a set point on Zverev’s serve as he led 5-4 but could not take his chances and was broken. The German destroyed the American 12th seed 7-0 in the tiebreak.

Paul recovered, broke Zverev early in the third set and teed up with three set points on serve for 5-2, and this time he converted. It proved only a brief setback for Zverev, who cruised through the fourth set to claim victory.