Carlos Alcaraz has sights set on elusive Grand Slam

Carlos Alcaraz brings 2024 to a close with his eyes set on next season and, specifically on the Australian Open which runs from 13-20 January. Right now though, he is enjoying a well earned rest, and recharging his batteries to prepare for the new campaign.

Alcaraz is in New York to take part in the Garden Cup - a one-night exhibition event at Madison Square Garden. He beat Ben Shelton 4-6, 6-2 y 1-0 (7-4 in the super tie-break) to lift the trophy.

Before the game, Charly chatted to the media and expressed his hopes for 2025. “I am sure that I will be the Australian champion sooner or later. Let’s hope it happens this year (next year)”.

He added that the most “challenging” part of competing in Australia is being at the same level as the rest of the players, since they are all prepared “to put their cards on the table and they are going to demonstrate everything they have worked hard to achieve a good result.”

Alcaraz said he had not touched his racket in the week and a half he has been on vacation with his family and friends in both Spain and Punta Cana, which has helped him to disconnect, have more energy when he returns and “rest both mentally and physically.”

However, the winner of two Wimbledons, a Roland Garros and a US Open said he will spend the month of December training in Spain to be “ready” for Australia, as well as enjoying the Christmas festivities with his family. “For me it is very important to complete the remaining (‘big’) ones,” he explained.

New additions

Regarding the addition of former tennis player Andy Murray to Novak Djokovic’s team, he said that the Serbian had found the “right coach” and joked that “it’s as if I were going to play against both of them!”, but stressed that, “It’s going to be incredible for tennis”.

Looking ahead to 2025, Alcaraz himself has also signed Pablo Carreño’s former coach, Samuel López, whom he considers “one of the best” and who will work with his current coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero.

“They trust each other 100% and being able to travel with both of them is going to be great for me. I think I’m going to grow as a player thanks to them,” said the Murcia native.

Alcaraz began training with Ferrero when he was 15 years old and said that “the person and the player” he is right now is “thanks to him” and that he admires him in these two ways: as a professional and as a person.

“They listen to me a lot more than before, obviously, when I was 16 and I had nothing to say, just keep my mouth shut and my ears open,” joked the player, who admitted that they now let him make more decisions.