Carlos Alcaraz, the 22-year-old world number one, kicked off his Australian Open campaign with a straight-sets victory over Australia’s Adam Walton 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2. The win marked the start of his pursuit of a career Grand Slam, having already won each of the other three majors twice.

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Off-Season Recharge

Alcaraz credited his successful start to a restful off-season, which included a two-week holiday in Miami with friends and another in Turks and Caicos with family.

“Mentally, I am fresh to play in the first tournament of the year and I’m ready to play really good tennis in Melbourne,” he said.

He also shared insights into his daily pre-season routine, balancing intense morning training on-court and in the gym with relaxed afternoons playing board games or spending time with loved ones.

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Match Details

Playing in his first Grand Slam match since splitting from long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz showed resilience against Walton:

• Converted 4 of 10 break points
• Hit 38 winners but had 36 unforced errors
• Faced a challenging second set where Walton broke his serve, but Alcaraz immediately broke back and dominated the tie-break 7-2

Alcaraz will face Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann in the second round.

“He was always in a good position, long rallies, and solid from the baseline,” Alcaraz said of Walton. “It was a really solid match and when I was able to play aggressively, it made the difference.”

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Other Day One Men’s Results

• Alexander Zverev (3rd seed) came from a set down to beat Gabriel Diallo in four sets.
• Alexander Bublik (10th seed) defeated Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
• Francisco Cerundolo, Frances Tiafoe, and Corentin Moutet all advanced in straight sets.

Alcaraz will be aiming to reach his first Australian Open final, having previously made the quarter-finals in 2024 and 2025. A victory here would complete the career Grand Slam, a feat only nine men in history have achieved.