MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz launches his bid for a career Grand Slam on Sunday “hungry” for an elusive Australian Open title, while Aryna Sabalenka is laser-focused on securing a third crown in Melbourne.
The first major tournament of the year takes place for the third consecutive time over 15 days and aims to reduce late-night arrivals.
Number one seed Alcaraz is desperate to win the title, having failed to advance past the quarter-finals in four previous trips to Australia.
This title is the only one missing from his large collection, which currently includes two Roland-Garros, two US Opens and two Wimbledons. “That’s my main goal for this year,” said Alcaraz, who will start the night’s match at Rod Laver Arena against local player Adam Walton. “I’m just hungry for the title, hungry to get a really good result here.”
He has met 79th-ranked Walton once before, at Queen’s in London last year, when he won 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).
Should the 22-year-old finish his career, he would join an exclusive club as the sixth man to win all four major titles after Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Rod Laver.
He would also become the youngest, surpassing Nadal, who was 24 at the time.
But he has a big obstacle in front of him, with the Italian Jannik Sinner, double reigning champion and in excellent physical condition.
Sinner, who beat Alexander Zverev in last year’s final and won Wimbledon, will start against Frenchman Hugo Gaston, whom he has already met twice but not since 2021.
“We worked a lot physically,” Sinner said of his preseason. “The physical part is now very important because the matches can be very long and also very intense. You have to be at the best physical level for as long as possible.”
Assuming he makes it that far, Sinner could meet 10-time champion Djokovic in the semifinals before a possible clash with Alcaraz for the title.
Djokovic would surpass Margaret Court as all-time Grand Slam leader with 25 titles if he turned back time and eclipsed his younger rivals.
He has a tricky first match against the Spaniard Pedro Martinez.
GRAND Slam RECORD
The defiant Djokovic is adamant he can still beat any player of his era, but at 38 the Serb is no longer focused on the Grand Slam record.
“There’s been a lot of talk about 25, but I’m trying to focus on what I’ve achieved, not what I’m achieving. I mean, I hope we get there, but 24 is not a bad number either,” he told reporters at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
“I need to appreciate this and remember the incredible career I’ve had. And also release some of that unnecessary pressure.”
Zverev, in the same half of the draw as Alcaraz, is also in action on Sunday against Canadian Gabriel Diallo.
World number 10 Alexander Bublik faces American Jenson Brooksby.
Sabalenka will look to continue her incredible record in hard-court Grand Slam tournaments when she begins her campaign against France’s Rakotomanga Rajaonah, preceding Alcaraz on the Rod Laver Arena.
The Belarusian world number one has reached the final of the last six major tournaments she has played on the surface, winning four of them.
She comes into the competition in fine form after retaining her Brisbane International title this month without dropping a set, and should have no problems when she takes on 118th-ranked Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
Sabalenka entered last year’s final aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis to win three consecutive Australian Opens, but was stunned by Madison Keys.
Keys hasn’t quite managed to win a first Grand Slam and is in Australia as the ninth seed.
She will need to improve after committing almost 50 unforced errors during her early exit during the Adelaide International warm-up.
She will meet Ukrainian debutant Oleksandra Oliynykova and could face Jessica Pegula in the round of 16 and Amanda Anisimova in the round of 16.
Sabalenka’s main rival, six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek, is, like Alcaraz, aiming for a career Grand Slam in Melbourne. She will begin against Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue.
VENUS WILLIAMS IS BACK
Seventh seed Jasmine Paolini, 12th seed Elena Svitolina and veteran Venus Williams are also in action on Sunday.
Venus, a two-time Australian Open singles finalist, returns to the tournament for the first time since 2021 after receiving a wildcard.
The 45-year-old will face Olga Danilovic in the first round, where she will become the oldest woman to appear in the main draw of the Australian Open by overtaking Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round in 2015.
Williams had a poor start to the season, losing to Magda Linette in the first round in Auckland and to Tatjana Maria in her opening match at Hobart International.
Despite her defeats, she said on Saturday that she was “ready to take on the challenge”.
“I’m super, super grateful for the opportunity from Tennis Australia. Grateful for the opportunity to play in front of the fans,” she said. “I’ve just had so much support at the tournaments before, walking around the city and everything. My hope is to play my best.”
A five-time Wimbledon champion, Williams was a singles runner-up at the Australian Open in 2003 and 2017 and won the doubles title four times alongside her sister Serena.
“It’s the best place in the world to play,” she said. “I’ve had some incredible memories here. I like a challenge, so I’m up for the challenge.”
Published in Dawn, January 18, 2026
