Carlos Alcaraz will begin his quest for a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open on Sunday, saying he is “hungry” to claim the only major title missing from his collection, as world number one Aryna Sabalenka targets a third crown in Melbourne.
The year’s first Grand Slam gets under way as a 15-day event for the third consecutive time, a format aimed at reducing late-night finishes at the tournament.
Top seed Alcaraz has yet to progress beyond the quarter-finals in four previous appearances at Melbourne Park. The Spaniard, who has won two French Opens, two US Opens and two Wimbledon titles, said lifting the Australian Open trophy was his primary objective this season.
“This is my main goal for this year,” Alcaraz said ahead of his night-session opener on Rod Laver Arena against home player Adam Walton. “I’m just hungry for the title, hungry to do a really good result here.”
The 22-year-old has faced the 79th-ranked Walton once before, at Queen’s Club in London last year, winning 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). A triumph in Melbourne would make Alcaraz only the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam, joining Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Rod Laver, and the youngest to do so.
Also read: Novak Djokovic triumphs over Carlos Alcaraz at Australian Open
Standing in his path is Italy’s Jannik Sinner, the two-time defending champion, who opens against France’s Hugo Gaston. Sinner said his preparations had focused heavily on fitness. “We worked a lot physically,” he said. “The physical part now is so, so important because the matches can get very long and also very intense.”
Sinner could face 10-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals before a potential title clash with Alcaraz. Djokovic, chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title, begins his campaign against Spain’s Pedro Martinez.
In the women’s draw, top-ranked Sabalenka starts her campaign against French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah. The Belarusian, who won the Brisbane title last week, said she was determined to improve on last year’s runner-up finish.
“I’m not really focusing on that result last year,” Sabalenka said. “But of course I would like to do just a little bit better than I did last year.”
Sabalenka faces stiff competition from six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, who is also chasing a career Slam in Melbourne. “Obviously it would be a dream come true,” Swiatek said. She begins her campaign against China’s Yuan Yue.
Several other seeded players, including Alexander Zverev, Jasmine Paolini and Elena Svitolina, are also in action on Sunday as the tournament gets under way.
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