Carlos Alcaraz Shares His First Goal for the 2026 season After Claiming the US Open

Carlos Alcaraz has twice won the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, but he's yet to lift the Australian Open.

Carlos Alcaraz Shares His First Goal for the 2026 season After Claiming the US Open

Carlos Alcaraz (via the US Open)

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Carlos Alcaraz claimed his sixth Grand Slam title after overcoming World No.2 Jannik Sinner in the final of the US Open. The 22-year-old simultaneously ensured that he would be back to the top of the ATP rankings following the victory. He will now turn his attention to his biggest goal, which is completing the Career Grand Slam.

Alcaraz has claimed the Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open twice in his career, but he’s yet to win the Australian Open. The Spaniard’s best run in Melbourne was reaching the quarter-final in 2023 and 2024. However, he has been in his best form of his career since April, reaching eight consecutive tour-level finals.

On Sunday, the Spaniard produced a classic performance against Sinner in the final of the US Open. He won the first set against the Italian star in just 27 minutes, breaking Sinner twice in the match. But Sinner responded powerfully in the third set, hitting thunderous volleys and groundstrokes, while pouncing on Alcaraz’s mistake.

He broke the 22-year-old once to claim the set. But Alcaraz resumed his clinical display in the third set, beating Sinner with his pace and physicality on the baseline. He broke him twice and was leading 5-0 before Sinner won just one point. Alcaraz then went on to beat Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in two hours and 42 minutes at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Alcaraz was asked during his post-match press conference if he’s motivated to now win his maiden Australian Open title in January. The six-time Grand Slam winner revealed that it is his first goal for the 2026 season and looks forward to planning intensively for it during the preseason:

It’s my first goal, to be honest. When I go to the preseason to [see] what I want to improve, what I want to achieve, the Australian Open is there. It’s the first or second tournament of the year, and it is always the main goal for me to complete a Career Grand Slam, Calendar Grand Slam. So it’s going to be great.

Alcaraz became the second men’s singles champion at a major tournament since 1991 to lose three or fewer serve games rn route to glory. The only man to have done that was Pete Sampras at the 1994 and 1997 Wimbledon Championships. Also, Alcaraz extended his head-to-head record against Sinner to 10-5 after beating him at the US Open and has now won seven of their last eight meetings on tour.

Carlos Alcaraz happy to end Jannik Sinner’s 65-week reign at the top of the ATP rankings

Carlos Alcaraz ended Jannik Sinner’s 65-week reign at the top of the ATP rankings. The latter had reached the top of the men’s circuit rankings in June last year after reaching the semi-finals of the Roland Garros and Novak Djokovic failed to defend his French Open title. It is the first time that Alcaraz will be the World No.1 since September 2023.

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (3)
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

The Spaniard was expected to reach the ranking milestone after Sinner was suspended for three months for doping. But he failed to do so as he struggled on the court. During the aforementioned press conference, he revealed that he has always dreamt of getting back to the No.1 position:

Since I got the chance to recover the No. 1, it was one of the first goals that I had during the season, just to try to recover the No. 1 as soon as possible or end the year as the No. 1. For me, achieving that once again, it is a dream. Doing [it] in the same day as getting another Grand Slam feels even better. It’s everything I’m working for, and I’m really happy to be able to live these experiences.

Alcaraz holds a 760-point lead over Sinner in the ATP rankings. However, they are expected to compete at the China Open, which will kick-start their Asian swing campaign.

Alcaraz is the defending champion of the tournament, while Sinner finished as the runner-up last year. Should Sinner win the China Open, he will close the gap between him and Alcaraz.