There’s a lot of excitement building around Carlos Alcaraz heading into the 2026 season.
It’ll be his second to last chance to win the Australian Open and become the youngest player ever to finish a career Grand Slam, and fans are already talking about it.
Alcaraz has said many times how much this means to him, but all this build-up could add more pressure as he gets ready for the first major of the year.
Carlos Alcaraz’s coaches, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Samu Lopez, have set a goal for him in 2026, and it doesn’t involve winning in Melbourne.
What to expect from Alcaraz in 2026 according to his coaching team
Speaking to the ATP earlier this week after they were named Coaches of the Year for guiding Alcaraz to two more major titles, Lopez was the first to discuss what he hopes for in the upcoming season.
He said: “Our mission is to keep his ambition awake.
“Knowing Carlos, it is not going to happen, but obviously you don’t have to settle for what he has achieved.”
Ferrero added: “From now on, that motivation has to go in crescendo, we want to achieve great things that are within the reach of very few, continue to be very motivated and not settle for anything, always go for more with that joy that characterises him and that infects all of us.”
Looking at how he’s impacted the dynamic since joining up with Ferrero and Alcaraz, Lopez pointed out: “Perhaps I have contributed freshness because Juan Carlos has been with him for seven years and I arrive new. I know the team and each of us has contributed the same but in a different way. Above all, we have insisted a lot that there should be joy when it comes to working.”
Alcaraz said: “Sometimes my tennis depends on my smile when I am on court.
Carlos Alcaraz looks to add the Australian Open to his Grand Slam collection
Alcaraz has already had an incredible career so far, and adding this title would only strengthen his place in tennis history. It’s a feat not many have managed, and he’d be doing it before Rafael Nadal ever did.
The six-time Grand Slam winner hasn’t shied away from saying how much it means to him. But with so much hype around the event, Pete Sampras once warned about putting too much focus on a single tournament.
Regardless of how things play out in Melbourne, there’s plenty for Alcaraz to be excited about heading into the season.
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