By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Photo Credit: Which Watanabe/Getty
Field filling down to complete Grand Slam career is a key advantage to Carlos Alcaraz In 2026, said the world no. 1 in a new interview.
Speaking to the Spanish news agency Marca ahead of his six Kings Slam to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this week, Alcaraz addresses the state of injury to his foot, his constant rivalry with Jannik Sinner and his 2026 goals. Read full Marca interview with Alcaraz here.
Alcaraz, who fell into Ao Novak Djokovic’s 10-time champion at the Australian Open 2025 quarter-final, said he was surrounded by Melbourne as a major advantage in January. Alcaraz still will not cross the quarterfinals down, but has been encouraged to try to complete the Grand Slam career.
“I have it listed because Australia is always one of the targets at the beginning of each year,” Alcaraz told the brand. “In Melbourne I have always played good tennis, but it has been difficult for me to reach the last rounds.
“This year I will prepare as much as possible to at least pass the quarterfinal.”
The six -time champion Grand Slam won his eighth title of the season in Tokyo this month, retaliating his Laver Cup loss to Taylor Fritz in the Tokyo final, despite playing on a key. Alcaraz said the ankle was improved before six Kings Slam.
“The ankle is going well, it is healing well as far as it goes,” Alcaraz said. “It has been a second grade spray and without giving it a lot of rest always requires a little more time to recover.
“Maybe I will still play not embarrassed, but with little doubt. These suspicions always take time to leave, but the truth is we are doing a good job. The ankle is respecting me.”
In last month’s US Open Open Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner made history become the first men in the open era to three consecutive finals of Grand Slam. If the duo meet again in the six Kings Slam final, Alcaraz believes the result will affect their continuous rivalry.
“He has to win two (matches) and I have to win one,” Alcaraz said. “Hopefully we will meet in the finals. It’s not an official tour, but we play it as if it were.
“On a mental level, anyone who wins here can have an influence.”
Earlier this week, Nick Kyrgios said he believes Alcaraz will eventually break the record of Grand Slam King Novak Djokovic for 24 main championships. Alcaraz said it is too early, and the tennis is very complicated, to make that rating.
“If we look at it at 10 years, the truth is,” Alcaraz said. “I don’t take anything for granted because every year it is different.
“The players progress, the new players come out and is more complicated. I hope he will continue with this pace, but in tennis every season you have to give your best and that’s the most complicated thing.”
