Is Alcaraz suffering from a cramp or a muscle strain?

Yesterday afternoon, Alcaraz won against Zverev in a five-set battle in the Australian Open semifinal.

The match lasted 5 hours and 27 minutes and is regarded as one of the epic encounters in Australian Open history. Nevertheless, controversy emerged late in the third set when Alcaraz felt discomfort in his right thigh and called for a medical timeout.

After the physiotherapist entered to provide massage treatment lasting about six minutes, Zverev protested to the tournament supervisor in both German and English, claiming that Alcaraz was experiencing a cramp, not an injury, and thus did not qualify for a medical timeout. Reporters said Zverev angrily told the referee that cramps should not be treated and accused them of always protecting Alcaraz and Sinner.

Following the treatment, Alcaraz returned to the court with limited mobility, allowing Zverev to win the next two sets. However, as the match progressed, Alcaraz gradually recovered and eventually edged out a 7-5 victory in the final set to advance to the final.

After the match, Alcaraz explained the reason behind the medical timeout in the third set during the press conference.

“At first, I didn’t think it was a cramp; I wasn’t sure exactly what was happening. Initially, I felt discomfort in the right adductor area, which is why I called the physiotherapist. My left leg was still okay, not perfect but manageable. Under immense pressure, I was completely unsure whether the condition would worsen or improve.”

“I only briefly told the physiotherapist, ‘I just ran to one side to start moving and immediately felt something unusual in my right adductor.’ The physiotherapist then decided to pause the match for a medical check. I simply explained what happened, and he chose to provide treatment.”

Meanwhile, Zverev refused to retract his statements in his post-match press conference and said he did not want to discuss cramps further. “He had a cramp. Normally, cramps do not qualify for a medical timeout. But what can I do? It’s not my decision. I don’t like it, but it’s out of my hands. Honestly, I don’t want to talk about it now. I believe this was one of the greatest matches in Australian history. It shouldn’t be the topic right now.”

According to the rules, cramps are considered a physical condition that can only be treated during changeovers or set breaks and do not qualify for medical timeouts, while acute muscle strains are allowed to receive treatment.

Therefore, the controversy centers on whether Alcaraz was experiencing a cramp or a muscle strain at that moment. Only by establishing this fact can the correct ruling be made. However, this determination requires a professional medical diagnosis. The tournament doctor who attended Alcaraz diagnosed him as meeting the criteria for a “non-cramp muscle injury,” and the chair umpire approved the medical timeout based on the doctor’s assessment and the rules.

Although this issue has been settled, it still sparked widespread debate. Zverev’s team questioned Alcaraz’s subsequent performance as inconsistent with typical muscle strain symptoms, since cramps tend to ease gradually while muscle strains usually worsen. Some international tennis commentators repeatedly stated during the broadcast that Alcaraz was suffering a cramp rather than a muscle strain.

In my opinion, whether Alcaraz had a cramp or a muscle strain, the on-site officials have already made their ruling, and that decision cannot be changed. Regarding the doubts raised, Alcaraz himself might have found it difficult to distinguish between a muscle strain and a cramp at the moment, but he likely knows the truth after the match. If it were a muscle strain, he would probably undergo examinations and decide whether to disclose the results; otherwise, it’s hard to comment further.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yun Juan Yun Shu)