MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Alexander Zverev has overcome a tumultuous match, defeating Tommy Paul 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the third time in five years. The second seed faced a challenging match as both competitors battled sweltering conditions on the Rod Laver Arena.

Zverev, ranked No. 2, faced a significant moment of distraction when a feather fell onto the court just as he was about to play, leading to a let call by chair umpire Nacho Forcadell. The German expressed his frustration, stating, “What? A feather? There’s millions of them on the court,” after brandishing the feather to the official. This moment occurred amidst a heated game where Zverev also had to navigate a crowd disturbance, which included someone yelling "out" during a critical point, resulting in him receiving a code violation.

The match saw Zverev dominate in the tiebreaks, staving off set points in both the first two sets. Despite feeling he was not at his best, Zverev remarked, “To be honest, I should have been down two sets to love. He played better than me.” However, he managed to turn the match in his favor when it mattered most, ultimately clinching the final set in commanding style.

With this victory, Zverev continues his quest for a Grand Slam title, a pursuit he has yet to fulfill despite being a two-time Grand Slam finalist. He will next face either Novak Djokovic or Carlos Alcaraz, marking yet another challenge as he eyes the ultimate prize in Melbourne.

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Read the complete match report at The Guardian and at Reuters.