Tennis-Alcaraz keen to break Australian Open duck

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(Reuters) -Carlos Alcaraz would rather win his first Australian Open than retain his French Open and U.S. Open titles next year, the Spaniard said late on Friday, a day after sealing the year-end world number one ranking at the ATP Finals.

The 22-year-old, speaking on Spanish midnight sports radio show El Partidazo de Cope, said lifting the trophy at Melbourne Park has become a priority, with quarter-finals in 2024 and 2025 his deepest runs at the season’s first major.

“In 2026 I’d rather win Australia alone than win two repeated Grand Slams,” Alcaraz said.

“I’m far from being the best player in tennis or overall, because there are still many players who can beat me and I’ve lost to many players. I’m not the best, despite the ranking showing that I am.”

Alcaraz was beaten 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 by Novak Djokovic in a gladiatorial quarter-final on Rod Laver Arena but the Serb retired injured in the semis and will remain in the hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam and an 11th Australian Open in January.

The six-times Grand Slam champion added that surpassing Djokovic’s men’s Grand Slam record was a long-term ambition.

“I’d sign for 23 Grand Slams without thinking twice, right now. I want to be the one who wins the most, I want to surpass Djokovic, but 23? that’s no joke,” Alcaraz said.

“That’s a goal for the end of my career: to see that I can sit at that table with Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Djokovic, and that people also think I deserve to sit at their table at the end of my career.”

Alcaraz, who also finished 2022 as number one, has enjoyed the best season of his career, reaching three Grand Slam finals, beating Jannik Sinner to win the French Open and U.S. Open while losing to his Italian rival in the Wimbledon decider.

Alcaraz remains on course for his first ATP Finals crown ahead of Saturday’s semi-final against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime.

(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)