Alcaraz sets sights on career Grand Slam after lifting US Open crown with victory over hapless rival Sinner
- Last updated: September 9, 2025 | 09:59
Carlos Alcaraz says winning next year’s Australian Open to seal a career Grand Slam is his main objective after securing a sixth major title in New York on Sunday.
Alcaraz beat chief rival Jannik Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to claim his second US Open crown and would become the youngest man to win all four majors if he lifts the trophy in Melbourne next January.
“It’s my first goal, to be honest,” said the 22-year-old Alcaraz, who has not made it past the quarter-finals in four trips to Australia.
“When I just go to the preseasons to what I want to improve, what I want to achieve, 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’s compatriot Rafael Nadal holds the record as the youngest man to win all four majors. He achieved the feat at the age of 24 in 2010 when he won the first of his four US Open titles.
“Obviously I’m going to try to do it next year, but if it is not next year, hopefully in two and three and four. So I will try to complete it,” said Alcaraz.
He will reclaim the world number one ranking from Sinner on Monday, returning to the top of the men’s game for the first time since September 2023.
“When you achieve the goals you set up yourself at the beginning of the year, it feels amazing,” said Alcaraz.
“Since I got the chance to recover the number one, it was one of the first goals that I had during the seasons, just to try to recover the number one as soon as possible or end the year as the number one.
“For me, to achieve that once again, it is, as I said, it is a dream. Doing it the same day as getting another Grand Slam feels even better.” Meanwhile, Alcaraz’s US Open win fueled by 15-Day training camp to outsmart Sinner, reveals coach Ferrero New York, Sep 8 (IANS) After Carlos Alcaraz claimed his second US Open title and the No.1 spot in ATP rankings, coach Juan Carlos Ferrero revealed that the Spaniard had a 15-day camp where the focus was on every detail that he has to improve to take down the Italian.
Alcaraz had beaten Sinner for the Roland Garros trophy, where he needed to save three championship points to do so. Two months ago, Alcaraz fell to Sinner in the Wimbledon final.
At the grass-court major, Sinner triumphed in four sets to claim his fourth Slam trophy and pull to within one of his rival. Alcaraz had plenty to think about, and that is exactly what he did, according to coach Ferrero.
“I think it was very important, because we maybe practised for 15 days, very focused on the details that we have to improve to play against Jannik. We know that in this kind of surface, on hard courts, Jannik is always very difficult to play and (is) winning a lot of matches. I think it helped a lot, because he realised what he has to improve a lot, and I was very focused on it,” said Ferrero.
Alcaraz delivered a classy all-around display to down his great rival 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 and claim his second US Open title and became the youngest male player in history to claim six major titles, and enables a triumphant return to the top of the ATP rankings for the first time since September 2023 . Alcaraz will begin his 37th week at No. 1 on Monday, ending Sinner’s 65-week reign at the top of the charts.
“I think we prepared the match very good, watching some matches and seeing the specific details we had to play. Carlos did 100 per cent [of what he needed to]. It’s easy to say and very difficult to do it.
“The performance today was perfect. I think he compromised [with] himself to go for the match all the time, tried to put pressure on the rival sooner than Jannik. I think it’s one of the keys,” Ferrero said.
“I think these guys hit the ball, both of them, very, very fast, and I think who hits first takes the advantage on points. Carlos has maybe more variety [in] his game, and he can do more, like slice, go to the net, and do more things than maybe Jannik. But I think it helps a lot to change a little bit the way of the game,” he added.
Agencies