Carlos Alcaraz got his Australian Open campaign off to a strong start, edging past Australian Adam Walton to reach the second round in Melbourne as he continues his quest for a Career Grand Slam.
This was his first Grand Slam since parting ways with longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, and the World No. 1 showed enough composure to win 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-2 in the night session on Rod Laver Arena.
Alcaraz is aiming to become just the sixth man — and the youngest in the Open Era — to win all four major titles at least once. He wasn’t at his free-flowing best against Walton, but he found the right balance of focus and consistency to see off the World No. 79 in their second ATP Tour meeting (2-0 to Alcaraz).
“I’m really happy to be back on court for the first time this season. Playing here on Rod Laver Arena made it even better,” Alcaraz said. “Adam played some amazing shots and kept a high level throughout, so I had to stay focused and bring my best game to get through.”
Carlos Alcaraz fired 38 winners and showed plenty of grit in the second set, coming back from 1-3 to take control of the match. Australian Adam Walton, aiming to reach the second round of his home Slam for the first time, gave a strong account of himself over the two-hour, 13-minute battle, using his deep groundstrokes to trouble Alcaraz at times. But when it mattered most, the Spaniard proved too strong.
“It was really tough to find the right spots,” Alcaraz said. “He was always in a good position, the rallies were long, and his flat shots from the baseline were tricky. I had to adjust to the conditions and the court, but overall it was a solid match.”
With coach Samuel Lopez by his side, Alcaraz is chasing his seventh major title this fortnight. He’s already a two-time champion at Roland Garros (2024, 2025), Wimbledon (2023, 2024), and the US Open (2022, 2025). Next up for the 22-year-old is Yannick Hanfmann, who advanced after beating American qualifier Zachary Svajda 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3).
Day 1 at the Australian Open saw some standout moments as players kicked off their campaigns. No. 10 Alexander Bublik got back on track, picking up his first win at the tournament since 2022. Playing in the Top 10 for the first time, the 28-year-old handled Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 and will face Marton Fucsovics in the second round.
American qualifier Michael Zheng stole the show on his tour-level debut, pulling off a thrilling upset against Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(0), 6-3. The 21-year-old, who is also a senior at Columbia University in New York, will take on Corentin Moutet next. As the reigning NCAA men’s singles champion, Zheng’s first steps on the big stage were nothing short of impressive.
Other seeds also made their mark, including Cameron Norrie, Francisco Cerundolo, and Frances Tiafoe. British left-hander Norrie fought back to beat Benjamin Bonzi 6-0, 6-7(2), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, marking his third straight five-set win, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Meanwhile, 18th seed Cerundolo defeated Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 7-6(0), 6-3, and Tiafoe overcame Australian Jason Kubler 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-2.
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