Carlos Alcaraz had a fantastic 2025 season, winning two Grand Slam titles (Roland-Garros and the US Open) and finishing the year at the top of the ATP rankings for the second time in his career. After parting ways with his long-time coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, during the off-season, he is now at the Australian Open, with the label of favorite, like his rival Jannik Sinner.
However, the 22-year-old Spaniard has never managed to get past the quarter-finals of the tournament in four appearances. “Alcaraz wants to show the whole world that he is capable of winning without Ferrero at his side,” considers Boris Becker, double winner in Melbourne (1991, 1996) and consultant for Eurosport, official broadcaster of the tournament. An opinion shared by Alex Corretja, close to “Carlitos” and also a consultant for the channel: “I heard that he was motivated, pumped up, ready, that he had worked very hard. »
“I think he has now found a great balance”
In any case, it is a new page that is opening for the world number 1, very often helped by his historic coach in the past when he sometimes seemed overwhelmed on the court. And even when everything was going well, Ferrero spoke regularly with his player during matches. Let’s see how the latter will manage to escape from the traps set by his adversaries without the direct advice of his mentor.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz appeared all smiles during the One Point Slam, an exhibition organized by the Australian Open during qualifying week, pitting professional and amateur players against each other to win a million Australian dollars by playing just one point. The native of El Palmar (Spain) arrived with Samuel Lopez, his new head coach who previously formed a duo with Juan Carlos Ferrero.
“I think he has now found an excellent balance, because he has a team, whose needs he knows perfectly well. Samuel Lopez knows him very well and will be understanding with him. He is the only one who knows exactly what he needs and what he wants to improve,” believes Corretja, for whom the absence of his lifelong coach is not a problem.
“In Melbourne, the pressure is on Alcaraz”
Obviously, two favorites emerge during this tournament: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Between them, they have won the last eight Grand Slam tournaments. But in Australia, the Italian, double title holder and number 2 in the ATP, seems to have a head start on his rival. “On paper, I would say that Sinner is the favorite,” says Becker.
“In my eyes, Alcaraz is probably the most talented player in the world, more talented than Sinner, Zverev. And he had a fantastic 2025. In Melbourne, the pressure is on Alcaraz,” continues the German. If “Carlitos” lifts the trophy, he will then have won all four Grand Slam tournaments like the Italian. Enough to give him additional motivation.
In the first round, the Spaniard will face the Australian Adam Walton (79th player in the world). In the event of a semi-final, a stage he has never reached in Melbourne, he could find his tormentor of 2024, Alexander Zverev. Before perhaps facing his best enemy in the final… Sinner.
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