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The final hurdle in Alcaraz’s journey and the battle of the elite for the season’s first titles

The Australian Open remains the missing piece in the Grand Slam résumé of Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz, as he has yet to lift its trophy despite his remarkable and precocious achievements in the world of tennis.

As the first of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the season gets underway, the world No. 1 finds himself facing a double challenge: breaking his Australian curse on the one hand, and overcoming his Italian rival Jannik Sinner, the reigning champion of the past two editions, on the other.

Although Alcaraz, 22, already boasts six Grand Slam titles, Melbourne’s hard courts have never truly favored him. In four previous appearances, the Spaniard has failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals, losing in 2025 to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, and the year before to Germany’s Alexander Zverev.

This relatively modest Australian record makes this year’s edition a particularly significant test for a player widely regarded as a generational phenomenon.

Alcaraz has not hidden his ambitions in Melbourne. After winning the US Open last year, he stated that the Australian Open represents his primary goal at the start of every season. Triumphing there would not only add another major title to his collection, but would also make him the youngest player in history to complete all four Grand Slam titles, surpassing the achievement of his retired compatriot and “legend” Rafael Nadal.

However, his path to the title may be blocked by Sinner, who continues to cement his place among the sport’s elite.

The 24-year-old Italian is also chasing a historic milestone, aiming to win the Australian Open for a third consecutive time — a feat achieved in the Open Era only by Djokovic.

Sinner enters the tournament full of confidence after an outstanding season in which he recorded 58 wins against just six defeats.

Despite Alcaraz holding the edge in their head-to-head encounters (10–6), and reclaiming the world No. 1 ranking at the end of the season, the rivalry between the two has become the defining narrative of the current era. Between them, they have shared the last eight Grand Slam titles, a clear indication of the passing of the torch from one generation to the next.

Meanwhile, Djokovic cannot be overlooked, as he returns to his favorite courts in Melbourne amid question marks over his physical condition following his withdrawal from the Adelaide tournament.

The Serbian, who is chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, may be contesting his final Australian Open, giving him added motivation to fight until the very end.

Alongside the leading trio, several players will be hoping to break the dominance, most notably Zverev and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, who was recently crowned champion in Brisbane, in addition to a group of emerging talents.

With all this momentum, the upcoming Australian Open appears set to be a stage for an open battle between ambition and history, as Alcaraz seeks to write a new chapter, while Sinner and Djokovic attempt to defend their legacies with experience and determination.

As anticipation builds around the Australian Open and its headline rivalries, Betway stands out as the best online betting site in Bahrain, offering tennis fans a secure and seamless platform to follow every twist of the tournament.

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