Alcaraz Begins Golden Slam Quest with a Commanding Melbourne Win
18 January 2026
Alcaraz begins his Melbourne campaign
Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his bid for a Golden Grand Slam at the Australian Open with a convincing 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 win over Australian wild card Adam Walton in Melbourne, earning a second round spot on Rod Laver Arena. The world No. 1 was solid in his first match since parting with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, showing patience in key moments and closing out when it mattered most.
Speaking after the victory, Alcaraz said he was happy to be back on court this season and felt great about his performance, despite Walton forcing some tricky rallies with flat balls and long exchanges. He noted that adapting to the atmosphere and the speed of the court was a part of the process, and he stayed mentally tough to seal the win.
The 22-year-old Spaniard, now guided by coach Samuel Lopez, is chasing a seventh major title and the rare objective of winning all four majors at least once in the Open Era. His accomplishments already include Roland Garros titles in 2024 and 2025, Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024, and the US Open in 2022 and 2025. He will face German Yannick Hanfmann in the next round.
In other first-round action, world No. 10 Alexander Bublik defeated Jenson Brooksby in straight sets (6-4, 6-4, 6-4). American Michael Chang, coming through qualifying at 21, stunned Sebastian Korda in a marathon five-set match (6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 6-3). British talent Cameron Norrie rallied from two sets down to beat Benjamin Bonzi in five (6-0, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4). American Francis Tiafoe beat local hope Jason Kubler 7-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Alcaraz’s opening win sets the tone for what promises to be a historic Australian Open as he pursues a Golden Grand Slam and a potential place among tennis history’s elite. The road to Melbourne continues, with drama likely to unfold on Rod Laver Arena as players push to claim early momentum.
Punchline: If this keeps up, the trophy cabinet might need a mortgage just to fit all the gold. Punchline 2: And if serving were comedy, Alcaraz just delivered the opening act—now the crowd waits for the encore and the encore might come with a bigger shelf for trophies.
