Carlos Alcaraz has never reached the Australian Open final, let alone won it. Despite a 40-month run of dominance with six Grand Slam titles, Melbourne Park remains his glaring omission. His win rate at other majors is 89%, but it sits at 73% down under.

For Alcaraz, completing the career Grand Slam is the clear 2026 goal. His most memorable match here was a 2022 five-set loss to Matteo Berrettini. Since then, his trips have been disappointing or canceled, a stark contrast to his mastery at Wimbledon, Roland Garros, and Flushing Meadows.

The question now is whether Alcaraz can translate his other-worldly talent onto Melbourne's hard courts. He's openly hungry for the title, making this his primary season objective. Breaking his Australian Open curse would cement his legacy as a true all-surface champion.