Carlos Alcaraz Reveals Hilarious Reason Behind Choosing Not to Vacation in Maldives During Off-Season
Carlos Alcaraz will clash with Jannik Sinner in an exhibition event in South Korea prior to the Australian Open, which starts on January 18.
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Carlos Alcaraz (Image via Instagram/Carlos Alcaraz)
Carlos Alcaraz has already arrived in Incheon, South Korea, for the Hyundai Card Super Match exhibition event, scheduled to be held on January 10. The Spaniard will lock horns with Jannik Sinner.
Following the event, both players will be heading to Melbourne for the Australian Open, which is set to start on January 18. Alcaraz will be bidding to complete the Career Grand Slam.
Although he has won the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon twice, he has yet to reach the semifinals of the Melbourne Slam. Twice, he suffered defeat in the quarterfinals: Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic knocked him out in four sets in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Last year, Alcaraz finished the season with eight titles from 11 finals, the most on the men’s tour, and it was also his career’s best season. Two of these trophies he lifted at the French Open and the US Open.
But during the off-season, he split with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero to everyone’s surprise. Andrea Petkovic, who interviewed him on Tennis Channel two days before the split, had no idea what was happening behind the scenes. One question she asked him was why he didn’t pick the Maldives as his vacation spot, given that it’s a popular getaway for many top players from both the ATP and the WTA.
No, not for me. Not this year! I’ve seen so many players going there… I’m like, ‘I’m tired of seeing you guys. I’m gonna move somewhere else!’
Carlos Alcaraz joked
Petkovic, during the latest Tennis Channel’s Big T podcast, suggested World No.3 Zverev rehire Ferrero. Coco Gauff‘s former coach, Brad Gilbert, was also a part of the podcast and said Ferrero should start working with a WTA player.
Carlos Alcaraz makes his feelings known on reaching the No.1 ranking
Carlos Alcaraz sometimes wishes that he were not as famous as he is, so that he can do certain things without being recognized. But the World No.1 is nothing but grateful for his career. During that aforementioned interview with Andrea Petkovic, Alcaraz shared how it feels as a top player.
You really want what you don’t have. So sometimes I don’t want to be recognised. So I really want to, you know, walk around by myself and do whatever the normal person does, but, you know, at the same time, it’s really good, my position. So I cannot complain at all. I really love what I do. I really love where I have the people [praise] me, [saying that I give a] really good experience for the kids, for themselves, it is an amazing, amazing feeling.
Carlos Alcaraz said
Although South Korea has a WTA 500 event, the Korea Open, Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner‘s appearance in the exhibition can popularize tennis more in the country. Sinner and Alcaraz are expected to meet several times this year.
We’re trying to help tennis as much as we can, I think, with Jannik and me, the matches we have played in the tournaments we have played. I think it engaged the people who probably have never watched tennis before.
Carlos Alcaraz added
Last year, Sinner and Alcaraz clashed six times, with the former emerging as the winner twice, at Wimbledon and the ATP Finals. The 22-year-old lifted titles at the Italian Open, French Open, the Cincinnati Masters, and the US Open by defeating the four-time Grand Slam champion.
At the Australian Open, Sinner will be bidding to complete the three-peat. If he wins, he will become the second man in the Open Era to achieve this feat, following 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic. In the previous two finals, the 24-year-old defeated Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev, respectively.
Also read: Mirra Andreeva Gets Real About ‘Impossible’ Expectations After Brisbane Win
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