'Excited' Alcaraz hungry to break Australian Open title drought

Carlos Alcaraz warned Friday that he was “hungry” to break his Australian Open title drought and become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, calling it his primary target in 2026.

The world number one 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.”

No change after split

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 number one, 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.”