Zverev after his victory over Paul: "I should have been two sets down, he played better than me".

Alexander Zverev is the first player in the men's draw to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

The German, world number 2, could well have lost the first two sets as Tommy Paul served to win the first two sets, but Zverev eventually got the better of him (7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-1).

This will be his third semi-final in Melbourne, after 2020 and 2024.

On court, Zverev spoke a few minutes after qualifying: "Honestly, I don't know how I managed to win today.

I should have been two sets down. Tommy played better than me, but I still found a way to win the first two sets.

I love playing matches here in Melbourne. It's harder for me when I play during the day.

I asked to play in the night session, but was quickly refused," Zverev said ironically, referring to the forthcoming meeting between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

Zverev will face the winner of this clash for a place in the final. Asked about his preference, the German shrugged it off and opted for humor.

"It's going to be a boring match. There's no reason for you to stay here on this court after watching Zverev versus Paul.

On a more serious note, I'd say they're probably two of the best players to ever touch a racket.

Novak is the greatest of all time at the moment. Carlos will also be one of them when he retires.

It's a clash of generations, they've played Grand Slam finals against each other and the final of the Olympic Games last year.

It's a privilege to witness such a match in Australia. I know it's going to be a great match. It's probably the biggest highlight of the tournament so far," explained last year's French Open finalist.