Tag: Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz completed a career Grand Slam of singles victories with his Australian Open title, but there was some solace for the man he defeated, 24-time Grand Slam singles champion Novak Djokovic.

While Alcaraz maintained his No. 1 ranking on the ATP tour ahead of Jannik Sinner, Djokovic, who beat Sinner in the semifinals at Melbourne Park, moved up one place to No. 3. It is the first time the 38-year-old Djokovic has been inside the top three since August 2024.

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On the WTA Tour, Aryna Sabalenka maintained her top ranking despite her loss in the final to Elena Rybakina, who moved up two places to third in the rankings, with Iga Swiatek in between at No. 2.

Three Americans followed in the WTA rankings — No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, No. 5 Coco Gauff and Australian Open semi-finalist Jessica Pegula at No. 6. Elina Svitolina moved up two places to No. 10 after her semifinal loss to Sabalenka at Melbourne Park.

American Learner Tien moved up five places on the ATP Tour to No. 24, a career high. The 20-year-old Tien, who lost to now No. 4-ranked Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, became the youngest American man to reach the final eight of a major since 2002.

Carlos Alcaraz swept past Novak Djokovic to win his first Australian Open on Sunday and become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, denying the Serbian great an unprecedented 25^th major.

The Spaniard was imperious after a slow start in dismissing the 38-year-old, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena to claim a seventh Slam title and cement himself as undisputed world number one.

He becomes the youngest man in the Open era to win all four majors, adding to his two titles each from Wimbledon and the French and US Opens.

At 22, he surpassed legendary countryman Rafael Nadal – in the crowd to witness the feat – who was 24 when he did the same.

A seventh Slam put him alongside John McEnroe and Mats Wilander and one behind Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.

 “Lifting the trophy for the first time in Australia was crazy,” Alcaraz said, before writing on a TV camera lens: “Job finished. Four out of four complete.”

He added: “A dream come true. I dreamt about getting an Australian Open and completing the career Grand Slam.”

He paid tribute to Djokovic.

 “You were talking about how I’m doing the things I am, but what you’re doing is really inspiring, not only for tennis players but athletes around the world.”

It was a first defeat for Djokovic in a Melbourne final, having won all 10 previously, leaving him still searching for a landmark 25^th  major to better Australia’s Margaret Court, who was also watching on centre court.

Djokovic, striving to become the oldest man to lift a Grand Slam singles trophy, last won one at the US Open in 2023. Since then Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have dominated.

 “I must be very honest and say that I didn’t think I would be standing in the closing ceremony of a Grand Slam again, so I owe you the gratitude of pushing me forward in the last couple weeks,” Djokovic said, speaking to the fans in the stadium.

He went on to hint this could be his last time at Melbourne Park.

“God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six months or 12 months, so it has been a great ride.”

He also joked with Nadal in the stands, saying: “There are too many Spanish legends. I feel like I was one against two tonight. It’s not fair.”

Both men battled through five long sets in their semi-finals, Alcaraz against Alexander Zverev and Djokovic with Sinner, and recovery was always going to be key.

But they showed few signs of fatigue in another gladiatorial contest.

They both opened with comfortable holds before Djokovic was presented with the first break point chance at 2-1.

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Alcaraz saved it, but the aggressive fourth seed kept pressing and converted on his third, then consolidated for a 4-1 lead.

Djokovic was reading Alcaraz’s serve well and once he got in the rallies was authoritative, with a sensational forehand winner earning him two set points.

He claimed the set in a statement 33 minutes, having dominated the big moments.

It was vintage Djokovic, but Alcaraz upped the tempo to break for 2-1 in the second set, pumping his fist when he saved a break point and held in the next game.

Djokovic put drops in his eyes and began rubbing them, unable to tame a now rampant Alcaraz, who broke again for 5-2.

There were some sensational rallies that had the crowd on their feet in set three, which went with serve until Djokovic slapped a forehand wide under pressure to slip 2-3 behind.

He gamely saved four set points at 3-5 but with his energy levels dropping was unable to save a fifth.

On the back foot, Djokovic then saved six break points in an 11-minute opening service game in set four to stay alive.

But Alcaraz ground him down and pounced as Djokovic served to stay in the match to seal a famous win.

It ensured he remained world number one and Sinner two, with Djokovic moving up a place to three.

Carlos Alcaraz said having Rafael Nadal watching in the crowd helped drive him to a maiden Australian Open title on Sunday and made the win “even more special”.

The 22-year-old downed Serbian great Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to become the youngest man in the Open era to win all four majors.

He had already claimed two titles each at Wimbledon and the French and US Opens.

In doing so he surpassed legendary countryman Nadal, who was two years older when he did the same.

Nadal greeted Alcaraz in the bowels of the stadium afterwards and they hugged and exchanged warm words.

 “I mean, this moment is really special, but having Rafa in the stands, it made it even more special, to be honest,” said Alcaraz.

 “Lifting the trophy for the first time in Australia was crazy. A dream comes true. I dreamt about getting an Australian Open and completing the career Grand Slam.”

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Alcaraz had to rouse himself after a more-than five-hour, five-set epic in the semi-finals against Alexander Zverev, where he suffered cramps and battled back from a 3-5 deficit in the fifth set.

He said he drew inspiration from a similar situation involving Nadal at the 2009 Australian Open.

Back then, the top-ranked Nadal outlasted fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in what was then the longest match in the tournament’s history at 5hrs 14mins.

Nadal went on to beat Roger Federer in the final.

 “After the semi-final, I just thought about that semi-final in 2009 he played against Verdasco, and then he came back physically and played such a great final against Federer and won,” said Alcaraz.

 “So I was thinking a little bit about it.

 “It’s just about pushing through and having him there, I was like watching him and he gave me some, like, good spirit, good mind-set.”

Before the match, 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal, who retired from tennis in 2024, tipped Alcaraz to win.

Carlos Alcaraz charged into the Australian Open semi-finals for the first time in his career with a dominant 7-5 6-2 6-1 victory over local favourite Alex de Minaur, keeping his bid for a career Grand Slam alive at Melbourne Park.

The 22-year-old Spaniard swapped extravagance for efficiency at Rod Laver Arena to end the hopes of sixth seed De Minaur, who was aiming to end a five-decade Australian wait for a homegrown men’s champion at the tournament.

A six-times major champion seeking to become the youngest man to win all four Grand Slam titles at least once, Alcaraz looked to be on course for a routine win but De Minaur made him work hard for it.

“I’m really happy with the way I’m playing,” Alcaraz said. “I was increasing my level every match … talking with my team. After the first match, they said the level I want to play was going to come. I’m playing great tennis and really happy to get into the semi-finals.”

Having broken De Minaur early to take a 3-0 lead, Alcaraz’s retooled serve came under heavy scrutiny in the fifth game when he faced three break points, as De Minaur refused to let the pressure get to him.

The Australian retrieved relentlessly and broke back to level, before recovering another break in the ninth game and delighting the crowd by holding in the next, but some loose points allowed Alcaraz to edge a gripping opening set.

“It’s really difficult. I started the match well and I was hitting well with seven or eight winners in the first few games. But Alex makes you rush all the time,” Alcaraz said about his opponent.

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“You want to hit the ball as hard as you can, which is impossible against him. I took a moment … and then I was more patient after 4-4. You have to be really focused on every ball, win the point three or four times.”

Alcaraz began the second set as he did the first and the top seed was in no mood to let the advantage slip this time, hitting two rasping backhand crosscourt winners to surge ahead 5-2 and tighten his grip on the match.

A deflated De Minaur surrendered serve early in the third set and Alcaraz did not look back, wrapping up the victory and securing a clash with third seed Alexander Zverev in a rematch of their 2024 quarter-final that the German won.

“I have to increase my level,” Alcaraz said.

“I’ve seen him throughout the tournament and he’s playing great tennis. He’s solid, aggressive and serving well. I have to be ready. He beat me in practice before the tournament.

“I have to play tactically really well. It’ll be a great battle and I’m looking to take revenge.”

Carlos Alcaraz withstood a barrage of big hitting from a familiar foe in Yannick Hanfmann in the Australian Open second round , with fellow top seed Aryna Sabalenka also enduring some shaky moments before sealing progress.

Alexander Zverev’s advance was stalled by rain showers, an injury scare and feisty Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the evening session, but the men’s third seed prevailed in four sets to safely reach the third round.

His equivalent in the women’s draw, Coco Gauff, earlier made short work of Olga Danilovic, while in-form seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and eighth seed Mirra Andreeva also romped through their contests.

After a comfortable win in the opening round, top seed Alcaraz was given more of a workout by Germany’s world number 102 Hanfmann on a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena but rose to the challenge and moved on 7-6(4) 6-3 6-2.

“I knew he was going to play great,” Alcaraz, 22, said.

“I knew his level. We came through the Challengers together, I’ve played him. It was tougher than I thought at the beginning and I didn’t feel the ball that good.”

Alcaraz found himself trailing 3-1 in the first set and after getting back on level terms wasted several chances to break Hanfmann’s huge serve again.

The six-times major winner pounced in the tiebreak to wrap up a physically draining opening set in 78 minutes, however, and carried that momentum into the second set.

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Hanfmann received medical treatment before the start of the third and Alcaraz showed no mercy, sealing a double break and closing out the contest on serve.

“It was coming like a bomb,” the Spaniard said of Hanfmann’s power. “Forehand, backhand, serves. I had to be ready for those.

“I’m really happy that I got through a difficult first set … and I played a really good level at the end of the match and get through.”

Meanwhile, Sabalenka’s issues in the opener on the main showcourt came out of the blue, the Belarusian racing to a 5-0 lead against China’s Bai Zhuoxuan before losing three games in a row.

The world number one refocused and proceeded to mow down Bai the rest of the way, running out a 6-3 6-1 winner to stay on track for her third title at Melbourne Park.

“She didn’t start well, but then she had the strength to step in and to change couple of things and, to put me under pressure. That was really impressive,” Sabalenka said.

“It seemed like she didn’t really care about the score. She would just try to find something that’s going to help her to win the match.”

American title contender Gauff was at her ruthlessly efficient best as she crushed Danilovic 6-2 6-2 in bright sunshine but the evening rain meant Italian Paolini had to swap courts to complete her 6-2 6-3 demolition of Magdalena Frech.

Emma Raducanu’s day ended in disappointment as the 2021 U.S. Open champion was beaten 7-6(3) 6-2 by Anastasia Potapova, while Russian teenager Andreeva thumped Maria Sakkari 6-0 6-4.

Zverev, runner up last year and still seeking his first major title, played down fears of a tournament-ending injury after receiving treatment on his lower left leg several times in his 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4 win over Muller.

“I took a painkiller and it was fine after that,” said the 28-year-old German.

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka launched their Australian Open title bids with straight-sets wins but there was no fairytale for 45-year-old Venus Williams.

On a hot Melbourne day in which a ball girl fainted, last year’s men’s beaten finalist Alexander Zverev dropped a set before easing into the second round.

World number one Alcaraz joined him, the Spaniard beating 81st-ranked home player Adam Walton 6-3, 7-6 (7⁄2), 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.

Alcaraz, who is desperate to win the Australian Open to complete the career Grand Slam of all four majors, plays Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann next.

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 “I think this kind of level and the difficulties in the first round is pretty good for me,” said Alcaraz, who was pushed all the way in the second set.

 “But overall just happy. I’m pleased about the level that I played today,” added Alcaraz, who was playing his first competitive match for nine weeks.

Alcaraz has won the US Open, Wimbledon and French Open, but Melbourne is the one Grand Slam missing from his impressive resume.

The furthest he has gone at the opening major of the year is the quarter-finals and he has made it clear that dethroning rival Jannik Sinner as champion is his main aim for 2026.

If he does so, the 22-year-old would surpass compatriot Rafael Nadal to become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.

Earlier, in steamy conditions approaching highs of 30C, Zverev threatened to implode in losing the first set to Canada’s Gabriel Diallo.

But the 28-year-old German recovered to win 6-7 (1⁄7), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 and next meets Australian Alexei Popyrin or Alexandre Muller of France.

Asked how he reset from his first-set wobble, the third seed said: “I was thinking it can’t get worse than that.”

British qualifier Arthur Fery scored the first big upset by taking down 20th seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy, 7-6 (7⁄1), 6-4, 6-1.

Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a record 25^th  major title, begins his title assault on Monday, as does three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev.

Organisers said that a record 100,000 people came through the gates, although there were complaints about long queues in the heat.

Underlining how fierce it was on court, a ball girl collapsed during the match between Zeynep Sonmez and Ekaterina Alexandrova, with both players rushing to help her.

Sabalenka began her bid for a third Australian Open title in four years with a patchy start before coming good in the second set.

The world number one, stunned by Madison Keys in the 2025 final, ultimately had too much power, guile and quality for French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.

But the Belarusian took time to find her touch, making a series of unforced errors before taming the spirited 20-year-old 6-4, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena.

 “It is always tricky playing someone young, someone you don’t know, and a lefty (left-hander),” said the top seed and title favourite.

Sabalenka said she had felt added pressure with tennis legends Roger Federer and Rod Laver court-side.

 “I hope you guys enjoyed watching me play, I hope you enjoyed it even a little bit,” she said in her on-court interview, addressing the duo.

Sabalenka faces Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan next.

Title rivals Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff play today.

Also safely through was seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini as she outclassed Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2.

Elina Svitolina, the Ukrainian 12th seed, eased past Cristina Bucsa of Spain 6-4, 6-1.

But seeded fellow Ukrainians Dayana Yastremska and Marta Kostyuk were dumped out early, as was the American great Williams.

The seven-time major champion was the oldest woman to play in the history of the Australian Open.

She showed glimpses of what once made her world number one, but ultimately fell after an epic battle with an opponent more than 20 years her junior.

Olga Danilovic of Serbia outlasted the veteran 6-7 (5⁄7), 6-3, 6-4 over a gruelling 2hrs 17mins.

“It was such a great game, such a great moment. The energy from the crowd was amazing. That lifted me up so much,” Williams said.

Carlos Alcaraz says winning next year’s Australian Open to seal a career Grand Slam is his main objective after securing a sixth major title in New York on Sunday.

Alcaraz beat chief rival Jannik Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to claim his second US Open crown and would become the youngest man to win all four majors if he lifts the trophy in Melbourne next January.

 “It’s my first goal, to be honest,” said the 22-year-old Alcaraz, who has not made it past the quarter-finals in four trips to Australia. “When I just go to the preseasons to what I want to improve, what I want to achieve, Australian Open is there.

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 “It’s the first or second tournament of the year, and it is always the main goal for me to complete a career Grand Slam, calendar Grand Slam. So it’s going to be great.”

Alcaraz’s compatriot Rafael Nadal holds the record as the youngest man to win all four majors. He achieved the feat at the age of 24 in 2010 when he won the first of his four US Open titles.

 “Obviously I’m going to try to do it next year, but if it is not next year, hopefully in two and three and four. So I will try to complete it,” said Alcaraz.

He will reclaim the world number one ranking from Sinner on Monday, returning to the top of the men’s game for the first time since September 2023.

 “When you achieve the goals you set up yourself at the beginning of the year, it feels amazing,” said Alcaraz.

 “Since I got the chance to recover the number one, it was one of the first goals that I had during the seasons, just to try to recover the number one as soon as possible or end the year as the number one.

 “For me, to achieve that once again, it is, as I said, it is a dream. Doing it the same day as getting another Grand Slam feels even better.”

Alcaraz dropped just one set throughout the tournament and continued his recent mastery of Sinner, getting revenge for his loss to the Italian in the Wimbledon final.

 “The performance today was perfect,” said Alcaraz’s coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Alcaraz and Sinner are the torch-bearers of the current generation, sweeping the last eight majors between them and taking 10 of the last 13. Novak Djokovic has won the other three.

Ferrero knows Alcaraz has the talent to hoover up considerably more silverware in the years to come but is doing his best to ensure his protégé keeps working hard at his craft.

 “The potential to win many titles, many Grand Slams, is there, but we take nothing for granted. Nothing is automatic; you have to make it happen,” said Ferrero.“I don’t think too far ahead. I can’t stop to think about whether Carlos is going to win 20 Grand Slams; you have to take each day as it comes.

 “He’s 22 years old; we can’t think he’s perfect, far from it. He has a lot of things to improve on.”

Carlos Alcaraz is the US Open champion! The 22-year-old faced Jannik Sinner in the final at Arthur Ashe Stadium and earned a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory in two hours and 42 minutes for his second crown in New York.

Carlos outplayed his rivals in sets he won, clinching his sixth Major crown at such a young age and becoming world no. 1 for the first time in two years. The Spaniard has played in eight straight finals since April, lifting six titles, including two Majors.

They played under a closed roof, which should have favored the defending champion. However, Jannik struggled to provide his A-game, losing a hard-court Major match for the first time in two years.

The Spaniard was off to a flying start. He fired 11 winners in the opening set, served well and provided two breaks for a boost. Carlos stole Jannik’s serve in the first game and provided three fine holds for 4-2.

The Italian missed a volley in the seventh game, dropping serve for the second time. Alcaraz served for the opener at 5-2 and held at love with a service winner, wrapping up the first part of the duel in 37 minutes.

Jannik raised his level in the second set and outplayed his great rival behind the second serve. World no. 1 saved a break point in the first game and clinched his first break at 2-1 with a forehand winner.

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The defending champion served well in the next three game and wrapped up the set after Carlos’ drive-volley mistake at 5-3, leveling the overall score after an hour and 19 minutes.

Alcaraz left that setback behind and returned at his best in set number three. The Spaniard landed 11 winners and avoided break points to keep the pressure on the other side.

Jannik lost the ground and experienced back-to-back breaks in games two and four. World no. 1 missed a routine forehand in the second game to fall behind and sent a forehand wide two games later to fall 4-0 behind.

Carlos served for the set at 5-1 and landed a powerful serve to seal it in style and move closer to the finish line after an hour and 50 minutes. Sinner faced a massive test at the begging of the fourth set.

The defending champion saved two break points and avoided an early setback. However, Alcaraz provided comfortable holds in games two and four and stepped in on the return at 2-2.

Sinner hit a double fault at 30-30 and got broken after sending a routine forehand beyond the baseline. The Spaniard cemented the break with an ace in game six, moving 4-2 in front and placing one hand on the trophy.

World no. 1 landed an unreturned serve in the seventh game, holding at 15 and remaining within one break deficit.Carlos played a flawless game at 4-3, landing four winners for a hold at love and moving a game away from the title.

Jannik served to stay in the match at 3-5 and held at 30 after the rival’s backhand error to reduce the deficit and extend the battle. Alcaraz served for his second US Open crown in game ten.

The Spaniard landed a forehand winner for 30-0 and generated two match points after the Italian’s backhand error at the net. Sinner denied them, including a backhand down the line return winner on the second.

World no. 2 generated the third match point with a fine attack and a winner at the net and converted it to celebrate his sixth Major title at 22!

Carlos Alcaraz continued his untroubled progress at the US Open as he eased into the semi-finals on Tuesday with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Jiri Lehecka.

The Spaniard will play either 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic or last year’s runner-up Taylor Fritz on Friday for a place in the final.

Alcaraz is yet to lose a set at the tournament in his quest for a sixth Grand Slam title. He won his first major at the US Open in 2022 as a teenager.

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The 22-year-old can reclaim the world number one ranking from Jannik Sinner with another triumph in New York.

 “It’s really difficult not to think about it,” said Alcaraz. “Every time I step onto the court I try not to think about it. If I think about the number one spot too much I think I’m going to put pressure on myself and I don’t want to do that.”

Alcaraz, who again celebrated his win with an imaginary golf swing, said he would squeeze in another round on the course – with former Masters champion Sergio Garcia – in the two days off before his semi-final.

 “It’s something that’s working well so why should I change that routine,” said Alcaraz. “Every day off I go and try to play some golf.”

Carlos Alcaraz ended Oliver Tarvet’s Wimbledon fairytale as the defending champion moved into the third round with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win over the British amateur on Wednesday.

After a record-breaking number of seeds crashed out at the All England Club in the first round, Alcaraz avoided a seismic shock on Centre Court.

The world number two had battled to a five-set win over 38-year-old Italian Fabio Fognini in a first-round clash lasting over four hours on Monday.

He once again looked below his best, taking two hours and 17 minutes to subdue world number 733 Tarvet, who produced flashes of his emerging talent to delight the partisan crowd.

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 “First of all I have to give big praise to Oliver. In his second match on the tour, I just loved his game to be honest,” Alcaraz said. “I knew I had to play my best tennis. I was really happy with my performance but big praise to him as well.”

Alcaraz has won his past 20 matches since losing to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April, a blistering streak that has brought him titles at the Rome Masters, the French Open and Queen’s Club.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, who fought back from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner on clay in an epic final at Roland Garros last month, has won 31 of his 34 Tour-level matches on grass.

His last defeat at Wimbledon came against Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.

“I found the right way. I try to enjoy every match. It doesn’t matter if I’m winning or losing. That is the key,” Alcaraz said.

 “The last few months have been a great winning streak. I just try to keep it going.

 “I’m trying to make the most of my time in Wimbledon. Let’s see how far I can go.”

Having vanquished Novak Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals, Alcaraz is looking to join an elite group of Wimbledon icons.

He hopes to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles after seven-time champion Djokovic, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras.

In stark contrast to Alcaraz’s fame and fortune, the unheralded Tarvet is just starting his tennis career and cannot even collect all of his Wimbledon prize money.

As a student of the University of San Diego, the 21-year-old has to maintain amateur status and will have to give up most of his earnings.

While Alcaraz is a five-time Grand Slam champion Tarvet was playing just his second major main draw match after coming through three qualifiers and beating Leandro Riedi in the opening round.

More accustomed to playing in front of a few hundred spectators on the US college circuit, Tarvet defied the vast rankings gap to Alcaraz and had 15,000 Centre Court fans cheering his every move.

Alcaraz was always in control but he appreciated the underdog’s tenacious performance.

He wrapped Tarvet in a warm hug after the last point and applauded him off the court as fans gave the plucky Briton a standing ovation.