Tennis great Jim Courier has claimed World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz should not have been afforded a medical timeout when it appeared he was struggling with cramp in the third set in his semi-final against Alexander Zverev. Alcaraz looked to be heading into his first Australian Open final on Friday having won the first two sets 6-4 7-6.
Although the Spaniard’s tournament took a turn when he pulled up short after a point in the third set. While there were fears over an injury, it appeared the Spaniard was struggling with cramp with temperatures soaring on court in Melbourne.
Commentator Jim Courie (pictured right) felt World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz should not have been afforded a medical timeout in his semi-final against Alexander Zverev. (Images: Channel Nine/Getty Images)
At 4-4 in the third, Alcaraz stopped moving as his leg appeared to shut down. However, in an extremely controversial move, Alcaraz requested and was granted a medical timeout. Players are not able to take a timeout for cramp, but can get treated at the changeover.
Timeouts are reserved for more serious injuries, but the Spaniard could have felt a tweak in a muscle. While it is unclear if Alcaraz suffered a more serious injury, the Spaniard looked to be drinking pickle juice to help him recover from dehydration during the medical timeout as a physio worked on him.
Alexander Zverev talks to a match official after Carlos Alcaraz received a medical timeout.
(MARTIN KEEP via Getty Images)
Zverev was fuming having argued with the Australian Open official he shouldn’t be allowed to take a medical timeout under his current state. Zverev wanted to play on and take advantage of his opponent’s physical condition.
“This is f’***en bulls**t,” Zverev said after a long rant in German. And he wasn’t the only one perplexed.Tennis great and commentator Courier suggested the officials had ‘botched’ the decision to allow the Spaniard treatment and a break.
“This is such a travesty. They have totally botched this. That’s why Zverev is melting down right now,” he said. Zverev managed to overcome some nerves, and a free-playing Alcaraz, to win the set in a tiebreak. This forced Alcaraz into a fourth set, but it didn’t stop questions over how Alcaraz was allowed treatment at such a pivotal moment in the set.
And tennis fans agreed. While only Alcaraz knows his situation and injury, fans felt Zverev was extremely hard done by in the semi-final.
Lleyton Hewitt defends Alexander Zverev over call
Zverev became frustrated again after winning the third set when he was verbally warned for taking too long to serve. However, Lleyton Hewitt couldn’t believe Zverev had been spoken to by the chair umpire considering the commentators felt it was Alcaraz who was delaying him getting into his rhythm.
‘That was ridiculous,” Hewitt said about the chair umpire talking to Zverev. The World No.3 certainly argued his point with the chair umpire as the fourth set went to a tiebreak. Zverev managed to take the fourth set in another tiebreak to force a decider.
Tennis fans and Jim Courier questioned if Carlos Alcaraz (pictured) should have been afforded a medical timeout at the Australian Open after he appeared he was struggling with cramp.
(MARTIN KEEP via Getty Images)