Alcaraz admits Sinner rivalry is driving him in Melbourne; Australian star’s brutal injury reality

In today’s AO Briefing, your wrap of the latest from Melbourne Park:

• Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz says “it’s a 99 per cent chance” he’ll lose if he doesn’t bring his best game to the court against Jannik Sinner.
• Thanasi Kokkinakis says he and doubles partner Nick Kyrgios will do everything they can to team up again in this tournament, despite their injury worries.
• Elena Rybakina has not revealed what embattled former coach Stefano Vukov will do on her coaching team during the Australian Open
• Emerson Jones says it’s “pretty special” to have her name linked with Ash Barty’s, but the 16-year-old knows she’s just at the start of her journey.

‘It forces me to work harder’: Alcaraz’s admission on Sinner rivalry

Scott Spits

Carlos Alcaraz has declared he is ready to defy his underwhelming Australian Open record and become the youngest man to achieve a career grand slam.

Already holding the record as the youngest man in the Open era to become world No.1 when, aged 19, he won the 2022 US Open, the top Spaniard could complete the set of grand slam titles in Melbourne over the next fortnight. That feat, known as the career grand slam, took Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andre Agassi much longer to achieve.

Alcaraz, 21, has dropped to No.3 in the rankings but the Australian Open draw has generated a dream possibility – a showdown in the final with world No.1 Jannik Sinner.

Alcaraz and Sinner split the majors in 2024 after Alcaraz won his first Roland-Garros title and defended his Wimbledon crown with a straight-sets demolition of Djokovic.

Carlos Alcaraz reacts in his charity match against Alex de Minaur ahead of the Australian Open on Wednesday evening.Credit: Getty Images

“Of course I’m thinking about the possibility,” Alcaraz told this masthead when asked about adding the Australian Open to his trophy cabinet. He has only progressed beyond the third round once, reaching last year’s quarter-finals.

“I’m here with the confidence, and I believe that I can get it.

“Hopefully I’m going to make the career grand slam this year.”

Alcaraz will be aged 21 years and 266 days on the day of the Australian Open final. Don Budge was the youngest man to get notch a career slam when he won the 1938 French Open at 22 years and 363 days. Nadal was 24 before he got there, while Federer and Djokovic were in their late 20s.

The elite group of men who have won all four majors also includes Rod Laver, Fred Perry, Roy Emerson and Agassi.

Alcaraz opened up on his growing rivalry with Sinner, who had a standout 2024 and became world No.1 for the first time. The Spaniard said he had to take his best game to the court each time against the defending Australian Open champion, otherwise, “It’s a 99 per cent chance you are going to lose”.

“When I’m playing against him, I have a different mindset,” Alcaraz told reporters in his pre-event media conference.

“When you are facing the best player in the world, you have to do something different.

“Different preparation, mindset, whatever. When I play him, I know I have to play my best if I want to win. If I have a bad day against him, it’s 99 per cent chance you are going to lose.

“When I see him win titles or be top of the rankings, it forces me to work harder and focus on the things I have to improve to.

“Having such a great rivalry so far, it brings out the best from me.”

Alcaraz entered last year’s Australian Open as one of the leading chances in only his third appearance in the main draw. He reached the final eight, but lamented a poor start to his quarter-final against Alexander Zverev when he dropped the first set 6-1.

Zverev, who has climbed to world No.2 after a string of consistent results, won 1-6, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 4-6.

“Well it was a bad moment for me. But, anyway, it was the best result that I got here in the Australian Open,” said Alcaraz.

“I remembered that I didn’t start as good as I should have done it.

“I learned against those [types of] players – when you’re playing a quarter-final of a grand slam [or beyond] you have to start from the first point, at your maximum, at your highest level.

“If you start badly and not focused on the match, you can lose the first set and the first two sets. And it’s really difficult to come back.”

He missed the 2023 Australian Open with a hamstring injury only months after his breakthrough slam in New York, robbing fans down under of a chance to witness one of the world’s best.

Last year he took on the Australian Open without his long-term coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has guided him since he was 15.

Instead, Samuel Lopez was by his side 12 months ago. Veteran coach Lopez was added to the Alcaraz coaching set up last month.

“Juan Carlos [has been] with me [for] six years now. He knows me really well. He knows what I need during the matches,” Alcaraz said.

“… But last year, for example, I was with Samuel ... right now my second coach. I trust him 100 per cent as well.”

Kokkinakis fears his fitness could let him down in Melbourne

Roy Ward

Australian star Thanasi Kokkinakis can’t be sure his body will stand up to his opening-round clash at the Australian Open on Monday.

The 28-year-old admitted his fitness was not where he wanted it to be after he was forced to pull out of the Adelaide International with a shoulder injury, but says he’ll do all he can to take the court at Melbourne Park.

He faces unseeded Roman Safiullin in the first round.

“I can give you an honest answer or a fake one – no, I’ve felt better, to be honest,” Kokkinakis said on Saturday.

Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia.Credit: Getty Images

“I’m pretty frustrated. Obviously pulling out last week was tough. I’m not sure how I’m going to go come Monday when I start. We’ll see. I’ve got a few things I need to work through.

“I’ll probably just leave it at that. I don’t know what else to say – I don’t know how I’m going to feel on Monday.”

Kokkinakis cut a sad figure as he explained his latest injury on the eve of his home grand slam.

“It’s the worst feeling because you feel like you do everything you can [to] prepare and get as ready as you can be for my most important event. Then when something doesn’t quite go right, or it lets you down, it’s tough,” Kokkinakis said.

“The thing I work hardest [on is to] recover, [to] make sure I got into the best shape I can.

“When that fails you time and time again, that’s the one that is pretty head-scratching and pretty tough.

“But it is what it is at the end of the day. No one cares if you roll out there. You’ve got to go out and play and see what you can do.”

In 2022 Kokkinakis teamed up with Nick Kyrgios to win the men’s doubles and, despite both players coming into this year’s singles under an injury cloud, they still plan to play doubles together again.

“Both of us made a pact on that – unless we are seriously, seriously hurt badly, we’re going to try to come out there, even if we’re not feeling great,” Kokkinakis said.

“It’s a lot of fun. I think for both of us, doubles is so much easier, physically. It’s not even comparable.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been sore after a doubles match in my life. If I am sore, or something is injured, it’s because of a singles [match] that’s happened.

“It’s a lot easier physically and mentally as well when you have a mate you like playing with. We haven’t played here [Australia] since we won. I think it’s great. The crowd will love it. Hopefully, we can produce some good stuff. We’ll see.”

Rybakina won’t comment on new role for embattled Vukov

Roy Ward

Wimbledon winner and No.6 seed Elena Rybakina has not revealed what embattled former coach Stefano Vukov will do on her coaching team during the Australian Open.

The Athletic reported Vukov is under investigation over allegations he mistreated Rybakina during his time as her coach, although she said she made no complaints and had no issues with him.

Vukov is not accredited by the WTA for the Australian Open, due to the investigation. But Rybakina, who is now coached by 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, announced earlier this month Vukov would rejoin her team after parting ways with her in September.

“As I said already, I’m not going to speak about it more since the situation is not clear from the WTA, too,” Rybakina said when asked what Vukov would do for her in Melbourne.

Rybakina said she had spoken with Ivanisevic and they were both clear on how things would work, but she wants to try and focus on the tournament.

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan hits a return shot to Laura Siegemund of Germany during their United Cup in Perth.Credit: AP

“I don’t want to speak much about what’s going to be next,” Rybakina said.

“As I said before, I don’t agree with a lot of things [the] WTA do in the sense of my relationship with Stefano.

“As I said before, I have never made any complaints or any of these things. I always said that he never mistreated me.”

Vukov issued a statement to The Athletic. “Definitely never abused anyone,” it read.

Rybakina said she was not happy with other coaches and commentators making comments about her relationship with Vukov.

“As I said, I’m not happy with the whole situation, especially when still some coaches are making some comments,” Rybakina said.

“The people who are not so close to the tennis world, they just see the comments and then they’re picking it up, [and they] make even more [of a] show out of this. I don’t think it’s fair, too.”

Rybakina faces Australian teenager Emerson Jones in the first round, and she won’t be taking the wildcard lightly. “I don’t know her much, but I just saw on TV I think one set of her playing with Daria Kasatkina,” Rybakina said.

“I think she’s a good player, dangerous player. Especially when you’re young, you have nothing to lose. She’s at home. I definitely take it as a very tough opponent because you never know what to expect. I don’t know her. I’m just going to focus on myself and try to do as good as possible.”

Jones welcomes Barty comparisons but says she has a long way to go

Roy Ward

Jones is proud to be compared to former world No.1 Ash Barty but is determined to chart her own course to the top, starting with her Australian Open debut this week.

The 16-year-old wildcard and world No.1 at junior level impressed at the Adelaide International, where she lost a tight round of 16 match to the ninth-ranked Daria Kasatkina.

Emerson Jones swings for a forehand at the Adelaide International in January.Credit: Getty Images

The Australian will face the highest-ranked opponent of her career when she takes on Rybakina in the opening round of her main draw debut tournament at Melbourne Park.

Jones said watching Barty rocket to grand slam glory and the world No.1 ranking was an inspiration for her growing up.

“I think it’s great when people say I follow in Ash Barty’s footsteps,” Jones said on Saturday.

“She was a crazy tennis player, [with] unreal results. I’ve obviously got my own journey.

“I think it’s pretty special when people say that, but it’s going to take a lot for me to get where she was.”

Jones said Barty was a source of advice for her and had hit with her and offered support before she played in the junior slams at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon.

Jones’ coach Carlos Cuadrado says she’s improved substantially in the break between seasons and backed her against any player – no matter how highly ranked.

“She can beat anybody,” Cuadrado said. “[Watching the lead up matches] I realised she lifts her levels when she plays against better players which is a good skill to have.”

Watch all the Australian Open action live on Nine, 9Now and Stan from Sunday, January 12.

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