As per Marca, Carlos Alcaraz is eyeing to achieve the Career Grand Slam at the 2025 Australian Open.
“I’m a very ambitious person and I want to win the Australian Open to complete my Grand Slam record. Australia is what I want to get tattooed, even though my dad doesn’t like it very much. To be champion there is my main goal for next season.” Alcaraz told reporters in Spain last month.
At just 21 years old, the Spaniard has already won the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. If he wins in Melbourne, he will become the youngest player in history to complete the career Grand Slam. Rafael Nadal, who did it at 24, currently holds the Open Era record. Even if it doesn’t happen for Alcaraz this time, he’d still break the record if he wins in 2026. Winning it at such a young age will benefit him because he will never have career Slam pressure in the long run. But it won’t be easy.
His biggest hurdle
Defending Australian Open champion and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner will be the biggest hurdle for Alcaraz in achieving his main goal.
Sinner had a brilliant 2024 season and finished the year in incredible form. It will be extremely hard for anyone to beat him if he carries that same form in Australia. However, as impressive as Sinner’s performance was at the Nitto ATP Finals, he faced players against whom he was well-matched. An out-of-form Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz twice, Alex de Minaur and Casper Ruud on indoor hard courts.
Alcaraz was 3-0 against Sinner last year (5-2 win-loss record on hardcourts against him in his career). He raises his level to another level against the Italian. Sinner tends to play passively against Alcaraz these days, which is fine if Alcaraz is misfiring, but if he’s on, advantage Spaniard. Also, a peaking Alexander Zverev or Novak Djokovic could beat Sinner, which would clear the way for the Alcaraz.
Sinner will still be the favourite but this is the first Slam he is going to defend, so there may be some added pressure. Sinner has demonstrated great mental strength and will likely be unaffected by that factor, but anything can happen. Not many people expected Sinner to lose to Medvedev in Wimbledon after he looked like the best player on the grass at Halle. The Australian Open draw is scheduled for Thursday, and it will play a role in Alcaraz reaching his goal.
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea – USA TODAY Sports
