Carlos Alcaraz has a Rafael Nadal record in his sights when he competes at the Australian Open.
The 21-year-old will enter the 2025 season with renewed vigour and determination after a disappointing end to his 2024 campaign.
Despite a more inconsistent campaign than the year before, the Spaniard still ended the season with two more Grand Slam titles and an Olympic silver medal.
Carlos Alcaraz has won four majors, and he has a chance to add a fifth at January’s Australian Open, and emulate his hero in the process.
What record can Carlos Alcaraz break at the Australian Open that belongs to Rafael Nadal?
Alcaraz was by Rafael Nadal’s side when the 38-year-old retired from tennis at the Davis Cup finals.
In the buildup to his final match, many fans and pundits alike have looked back fondly on his career and the various records he broke.
One of these feats is that Nadal became the youngest player to win all four Grand Slams. He was 24 when he completed the set by winning the US Open in 2010, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final.
Alcaraz, who is just 21, can smash Nadal’s record should he win the 2025 Australian Open.
Should he fail to emerge victorious in January, the former World number one can still break the record at the 2026 or 2027 Australian Open, before he turns 24, the age Nadal was when he won each major.
Carlos Alcaraz shares desire to win Australian Open and complete career Grand Slam
Alcaraz has mastered each Grand Slam after claiming the 2022 US Open title, this year’s French Open crown and two successive Wimbledon championships.
He has yet to conquer the Australian Open, where his best result was reaching the quarter-finals.
That came in 2024, when Alcaraz took on Alexander Zverev, when the German claimed a 6-1, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-4 victory.
Alcaraz missed the Grand Slam in 2023 due to injury and suffered a five-set defeat to Matteo Berrettini in the third round in 2022.
This defeat still marks the only time that Alcaraz has lost a five-set match in his career.
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