The Australian Open is set to start on January 14th. The players will get ready for the first slam of the new season. A good start to the season can set the tone for the next 10 months of the tour. There will be a few players who are returning next season after missing this year’s event. The highest-ranked player who will return to Australia will be Carlos Alcaraz.
The young Spaniard was absent from this year’s Australian Open. Alcaraz seems unlucky at Melbourne as he suffered an injury this time, and next time, he will be without his coach. Juan Carlos Ferrero will be undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Ferrero cannot travel with Alcaraz for the first two months of the tour.
🇦🇺🇪🇸 Carlos Alcaraz will be *without* his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Australian Open, due to a recent surgery on Ferrero’s knee 🤕
Source: MARCA 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/5txZaBqENw
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) December 17, 2023
Alcaraz will now be accompanied by Samuel Lopez at the Australian Open. Lopez was there with the world No.2 when he won his first grasscourt title at Queens in June. Alcaraz had only lost a single set at Queens and will hope to be in the same form at the Australian Open. He lost in the third round at the 2022 in Melbourne and will be expected to extend his stay this time.
Carlos Alcaraz is hoping to improve his record at Australian Open
Alcaraz will be competing at the Australian Open for the third time. It remains the only Grand Slam where he has not reached the quarterfinals. The 20-year-old made his debut in the majors at the 2021 Australian Open. Alcaraz reached the second round on his first attempt, and last year, he lost to Matteo Berettini in the third round. Berrettini took three and a half fours in a five-set thriller to beat Alcaraz.
Although he will be going with Lopez, Alcaraz hopes to make an impression as he does at the other grand slams. Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will be the favorites this time. Even though Djokovic has won the event 10 times, there are still hopes of an upset. The two-time grand slam winner will need his best-ever performance at the Australian Open to take the title.
Alcaraz will be next playing in Riyadh in an exhibition match against Djokovic on 27th December. Both players will need a good standoff before the Australian Open. Alcaraz will hope to start a winning streak in Melbourne even though his main coach will not be present. Fans will be excited to see the former world No.1 back in action on the hardcourts.