Online Reporter
CARLOS ALCARAZ warned yesterday that he was “hungry” to break his Australian Open tennis title drought and become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, calling it his primary target in 2026.
The world No. 1 from Spain is the title favourite along with two-time defending champion and great rival Jannik Sinner.
The Melbourne Park crown is the only one of the four majors that Alcaraz has never won, his best performance the quarter-finals in 2024 and 2025.
If he goes all the way this year he will surpass fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal as the youngest man to win all four majors. Nadal was 24 when he achieved the feat.
The 22-year-old Alcaraz, who begins his title assault against Australia’s 79th-ranked Adam Walton, said he could not wait to get going.
“I think this is my main goal for this year,” said Alcaraz, whose only warm-up was a win against Italy’s Sinner in a light-hearted exhibition match in South Korea.
“So it’s going to be really interesting for me how I prepared, which I think I just made a really good pre-season, just to be in a good shape.
“I’m just hungry for the title, hungry to do a really good result here. I’m just getting ready as much as I can.
“I’m really excited about the tournament beginning.”
Alcaraz was asked by reporters if he would swap titles at all three of the other majors this year for one Melbourne crown.
Underlining just how important winning the Australian Open and nailing the career Grand Slam is to him, he said he could not decide.
“I don’t know which one I would choose,” he said, smiling broadly.
“Obviously complete the career Grand Slam is something amazing to do, be able to be the youngest that has done it before, you know, is even better.”
There has been much focus on Alcaraz’s coaching team in the build-up to Melbourne.
In December the six-time major champion abruptly announced that he was splitting from coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after seven hugely successful years together, with assistant Samuel Lopez taking over.
Alcaraz began working with Ferrero, a former world No. 1, when he was a teenager.
Quizzed by reporters for the reasons behind the surprise split, Alcaraz said that it felt like the right time to end the partnership and was a mutual decision.
“With Juan Carlos, we decided to do it. I’m just having plenty of confidence in the team that I have right now,” he said.
“As I said, practice has been really good. I’m just feeling well.
“So just excited about the tournament beginning with the team that I have right now.”
Coco welcomes record money
Coco Gauff said that a record prize pool at the Australian Open tennis tournament starting tomorrow was “progress” but “still not where we’d like it”.
The leading players in men’s and women’s tennis joined forces last year seeking from the four majors a higher percentage of tournament revenue and contributions towards welfare programmes such as pensions.
They also want to be consulted when any of the Grand Slams consider making changes that could directly affect them.
The Australian Open pledged a 16 per cent increase in the total prize purse to Aus$111,5 million (US$75 million) this year.
The winners of the men’s and women’s singles at the first Grand Slam of the year will each take home Aus$4,15 million, up 19 percent from last year.
Asked yesterday about the increase, two-time major champion Gauff said: “The percentage is still, of revenue comparison, not where we would like it.
“I think there’s still further conversations that have to be had, not just with the Australian Open, but with all the slams.”
She added: “The collective feeling is that, yes, there’s been progress, but I still think it’s not where we would like to see it.”
Top players say the changes they are after would benefit the entire tennis ecosystem, and not just those at the top.
Asked if she expects more talks with the slams in 2026, Gauff said: “I think no one wants this conversation to be continuing for years and years.
“So I would imagine that we would continue to have those conversations and maybe more pressure being applied with especially the top 10.”
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka – who like Gauff has represented the players in talks with the majors – was also asked yesterday if the Australian Open concessions were enough.
“I think we always can do better,” the four-time Grand Slam champion replied.
“But I think all of the slams, they are trying to work together with us and come to a conclusion. I hope one day we’ll get to a happy place for everyone.”
Asked how they could do better, she declined to say. – AFP Sport.
Peter Tanyanyiwa