Leave it to Carlos Alcaraz to bring flair. The top seed dazzles once again with slick drop shots and blazing ball-striking, his talent lighting up the court. He’s won over fans worldwide for a reason. And now, at Rod Laver Arena, the Spaniard is chasing his ultimate prize: a maiden Australian Open title and the elusive Career Slam. That dream is still a way off, but for now, Carlos is storming through his Round 1 in style.
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On Sunday, Alcaraz launched his 2026 Australian Open campaign with authority, cruising past Adam Walton 6-3, 7-6, 6-2. The Spaniard looked sharp, mixing speed and touch to keep the Aussie guessing all match long. But the true highlight came in the second set. At 2-3, mid-rally, Alcaraz sprinted forward, spun around, and whipped a breathtaking volley that sent the crowd roaring at 15-0.
“How quick is this guy?!” the commentator shouted, as fans leapt to their feet in disbelief.
The win, his first of the season, secured Carlos Alcaraz a fifth trip to the second round in Melbourne. The 22-year-old blasted 38 winners and showed his trademark fight, clawing back from 1-3 down in that second set. It was a bright, electric start for a player clearly ready to light up the fortnight.
CARLOS ALCARAZ HITS AN UNREAL VOLLEY AGAINST WALTON AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN.
He’s literally diving full stretch but controls it perfectly and it drops right over the net.
Like… what? 🤯🤯🤯🤯
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 18, 2026
Alcaraz has twice reached the Australian Open quarterfinals, in 2024 and 2025, but a semifinal still eludes him. If he keeps producing tennis like he did today, that could change soon. The top seed looked every bit the favorite, controlling rallies with purpose and power.
The Spanish No.1 was in control from the first ball, even as Adam Walton battled hard to force a second-set tie-break. But once the third set kicked off, Carlos Alcaraz shifted gears and never looked back, commanding the court with precision and flair. The atmosphere matched the intensity, fuelled by a record-breaking Australian Open crowd.
A total of 27,528 fans packed into Rod Laver Arena for the first night session, adding to the day’s earlier record of 73,235. That brought the total attendance to a staggering 100,763 fans, shattering the previous mark of 97,132 set on Day 6 in 2025. Tennis fever in Melbourne has never looked stronger, and Carlos was pleased with his start to the campaign.
Carlos Alcaraz expresses joy at successful AO start
Speaking in his post-match interview, the World No. 1 stayed grounded, already turning his focus toward tightening up his game before round two. After taking a nine-week break at the end of last season, Alcaraz was quick to admit he still has room to grow as the tournament heats up.
“Well, I think I hit the ball well,” Carlos Alcaraz said after the match. “I could be better for sure. I just happy because I think the things that I had to do, I did it pretty well in terms of myself, behave well, just good mindset all the time.”
Off the court, Carlos is adjusting to a big change after ending his seven-year partnership with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in December. Yet between the lines, he looks locked in. The 22-year-old has his eyes on history: becoming the youngest man in the Open Era to complete a career Grand Slam. That would make him only the sixth player ever to win all four majors at least once. But it’s all about the mindset right now for him.
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“Every time trying to think in positive thoughts all the time. So I think I did it pretty well, which was one of the main goals for me coming into this match. Then in terms of level, tactics or everything, I know that I have a lot of things to be better in the next round if I want to go further.”
He’ll next face Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann, a familiar rival from their 2019 clash in Seville, which Alcaraz won. Will Carlos Alcaraz keep up the momentum to win the title? Only time will tell!
