MELBOURNE, Australia — Carlos Alcaraz has by no means received the Australian Open or appeared within the event’s remaining. In truth, the world No. 1 participant has but to succeed in the semifinals of the 12 months’s first Grand Slam event.
That appears ridiculous. Unfathomable, even. Certainly, a fast test of Wikipedia will inform you precisely this.
In spite of everything, few tennis gamers in historical past have loved 40 months of dominance like Alcaraz. Since August 2022, the charming Spaniard has received Wimbledon twice, Roland Garros twice, the US Open twice and received eight Masters 1000 tournaments. On the age of 19, he turned the youngest ATP World No. 1 in historical past, and has amassed a staggering $50 million in prize cash, sufficient to position him in fifth place on tennis’ all-time record of all-time cash earners.
However regardless of Alcaraz’s many accolades, the Australian Open title stays fully absent from his resume. Not solely has he did not elevate the Norman Brooks Problem Cup, he has by no means come near conquering the sphere Down Beneath. That is in distinction to how he fared in tennis’s different three main tournaments. At Wimbledon, he received 89% of the matches performed. On the French Open? Once more, 89%. What in regards to the US Open? You guessed it: 89%. Heading into this 12 months’s Australian Open, Alcaraz’s successful proportion was “solely” 73%.
“I am hungry for the title,” Alcaraz stated on the eve of the event. “That is my primary objective this 12 months. First event, primary objective. I actually wish to carry out higher than final 12 months.”
At this level in Alcaraz’s profession, his most memorable match at Melbourne Park was towards eventual third-round semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini in 2022. Alcaraz, 18 on the time, placed on an unbelievable efficiency below the blazing solar at Rod Laver Enviornment in a match that lasted greater than 4 hours and led to a deciding fifth set. Alcaraz did not fairly come shut, however it was a glimpse of the unbelievable expertise that might quickly develop into the usual for the tour.
However since then, each journey again to Australia from Alcaraz has both led to bitter disappointment or been canceled earlier than departure.
Alcaraz, newly ranked No. 1 on the planet in 2023, suffered a hamstring damage within the remaining week of coaching camp and was pressured to withdraw from the event. He returned with a lot fanfare in 2024, however was not at his greatest, getting upset by the ultra-talented Alexander Zverev in a one-sided quarter-final.
Oh my Alcaraz 😱
That is unreal 🔥@Carlosarcaraz • @wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/fSZZ2aITyo
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2026
Final 12 months’s season additionally faltered within the quarterfinals, shedding in 4 units to 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic.
“It is laborious to not get past the quarter-finals right here in Australia as a result of I really feel like I am taking part in good tennis right here. I have been taking part in actually good tennis the final two years,” Alcaraz stated earlier this week. “Zverev and Djokovic…in the event that they’re No. 1 or No. 2 on the planet, it is uncommon for them to play towards one another within the quarterfinals.”
The loss to Djokovic led Alcaraz to essentially the most profitable season of his profession. He received eight titles, together with the US Open and French Open crowns, reached 9 consecutive finals from April to September, and received 71 of 80 matches, a profession greatest consequence.
Alcaraz continued her kind at this week’s occasion at Melbourne Park, reaching the fourth spherical with out dropping a set. His Spherical of 32 tie towards France’s Corentin Moutet was a two-hour show of his outrageous ability, finesse and athleticism, a match that left his seeded opponent laughing alone and unable to search out a solution.
Subsequent up is a match towards American Tommy Paul, with the winner dealing with both tenth seed Alexander Bublik or Australia’s top-ranked Alex de Minaur within the quarter-finals.
If he ends the final two weeks with an Australian Open title, Alcaraz will develop into the ninth male participant to win all 4 majors in his profession. He additionally turned the youngest of the group to perform this feat, beating compatriot Rafael Nadal’s current document by nearly two full years.
“Reaching a profession Grand Slam is wonderful, and being the youngest particular person to ever do it’s much more wonderful,” Alcaraz stated. “I can see myself bettering with every recreation and every apply, and I’m very proud of it. I do know I’m going to maintain progressing.”
“I really feel like that is most likely one of many years the place we are able to do this or have an opportunity.”
