Carlos Alcaraz has already proven himself one of the brightest stars of his generation, capturing Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces.
Now, the 21-year-old Spaniard is set to face the final challenge of his young career at the Australian Open.
If he lifts the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in Melbourne, Alcaraz will become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, joining legends like Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, solidifying his place among tennis’ all-time greats.
Alcaraz has not advanced past the quarterfinals in his three previous visits to Melbourne, but that hasn’t stopped the world No. 3 from dreaming of glory in the Jan. 12-26 event.
“I have it in mind to get a tattoo of a kangaroo,” Alcaraz told Spanish outlet Marca recently, referring to the tradition of immortalizing his major triumphs on his skin.
“The goal is to complete the Grand Slam in Melbourne.”
For all his optimism before the first Grand Slam of the New Year, Alcaraz will be aware he was somewhat overshadowed by Jannik Sinner in 2024, with the Italian enjoying a near-perfect season that included the Australian Open and U.S. Open titles.
Sobering experience
Defeat by Novak Djokovic in the Olympic final in Paris was another sobering experience for Alcaraz, and some pundits began to question his consistency after a shock second-round loss to the unheralded Botic van de Zandschulp at the U.S. Open.
“Every player wants to be in the final, to go as far as they can during tournaments. This year, I’ve played great tournaments and really bad tournaments,” said Alcaraz, who responded to his critics by winning the China Open, beating Sinner in the final.
“My goal at the end is to be there all the time, to at least reach the semifinals and finals to give myself the chance to win tournaments.
“I have to work. I’m still super young, so I have or I hope to have many years to get there. Let’s see in 2025; I hope to be a better player and (show) more consistency.”
Federer, who watched Alcaraz live for the first time during his triumphant Wimbledon defense shortly after his Roland Garros victory, believes the Spaniard has what it takes to capture the one major title that has eluded him so far.
“He will win an Australian Open, the question is when,” said Federer.
“He’s had the most incredible career already. It’s fantastic that he’s already got four Grand Slams without talking about all the other stuff that he’s achieved. Fantastic effort.”