Carlos Alcaraz launched his latest bid for a career Grand Slam with an assured first-round victory at the Australian Open, defeating home favourite Adam Walton 6–3, 7–6 (2), 6–2 on Sunday, 18 January 2026.
Playing in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena, the world number one produced a controlled and powerful display to brush aside the unseeded Australian, underlining his status as one of the leading contenders for the title.
At 22, Alcaraz has the opportunity to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, eclipsing the record set by Don Budge. Against Walton, he showcased a wide range of shot-making, drawing repeated ovations from the Melbourne crowd.
“I’m really happy to step on court for the first time this season,” Alcaraz said. “I don’t think it could be better than here at Rod Laver Arena. It was a good match and I felt great.”
He added that Walton had posed a genuine challenge at times. “Adam played at a really high level, so I had to stay focused. He was solid from the baseline and his flat shots made it difficult to find good positions, especially in the longer rallies.”
Alcaraz secured the decisive break in the opening set with a fierce forehand to move 5–3 ahead before closing it out with authority, aided by a reworked serve that has drawn comparisons with Novak Djokovic’s delivery.
A brief lapse in intensity in the second set allowed Walton to push the Spaniard into a tie-break, a phase that followed a period of more flamboyant, crowd-pleasing tennis. However, Alcaraz tightened his game when it mattered, dominating the tie-break before reasserting full control in the third set.
The performance came just weeks after Alcaraz parted ways with long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, whose absence was briefly felt during the second-set wobble.
Once momentum was regained, Alcaraz proved ruthless, racing through the final set to seal the win and set up a second-round meeting with Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.
