Tennis-Career Slam winner Alcaraz tempers expectations on 2026 majors sweep

By Ian Ransom and Shrivathsa Sridhar

MELBOURNE, Feb 1 (Reuters) – Australian Open champion Carlos Alcaraz said capturing all four Grand Slam titles at 22 had not diminished his desire and while plenty remains on his to‑do list, he will not pile pressure on himself to chase a clean sweep of the majors this year.

Alcaraz celebrated becoming the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam by overhauling Novak Djokovic 2-6 6-2 6-3 7-5 at a floodlit Rod Laver Arena on Sunday and will look to return to the finals of the other majors this year.

The Spaniard beat Jannik Sinner in an epic French Open final last year to defend his title, before surrendering his Wimbledon crown to the Italian and capping their trilogy of major meetings by unseating him at the U.S. Open for a sixth Grand Slam trophy.

“It’s going to be a big challenge,” Alcaraz told reporters when asked about gunning for all four Grand Slam titles in the same year.

“Those are big words, to be honest. I just want it to be one at a time. Right now, the next one is the French Open and I have great memories of that tournament. I feel really special every time that I go there.

“I don’t want to put myself in a really pressure position to have to do it, but it’s going to be great. Right now I’ll try to be ready, to work hard, to just recover and practice well to play a good tournament in the next Grand Slam.”

Alcaraz said he had plenty of motivation for the rest of a year that has begun superbly after an emotional roller-coaster in pre-season, during which he split with long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

“There are some tournaments that I really want to win at least once. A few Masters 1000s. I just really want to complete all the Masters 1000,” Alcaraz said.

“Obviously the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup are goals as well. I really want to achieve that for Spain. I’ve set up some other goals for the season and I’ll try to be ready for, or to try to get those goals.”

Alcaraz’s immediate focus will be on getting a tattoo to mark his Melbourne Park triumph.

He has commemorated previous major wins with body art – a strawberry for Wimbledon, the Eiffel Tower for the French Open, the date of his first U.S. Open title and after his second in New York, the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.

“I’ve said it’s going to be a kangaroo, for sure,” the seven-times Grand Slam champion added.

“It’s going to be in the leg, for sure … I don’t know the right, the left one. So I got to choose a good spot, but it’s going to be for sure close to the French Open or Wimbledon.”

(Reporting by Ian Ransom and Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Christian Radnedge)