Carlos Alcaraz demonstrated his trademark flair and precision as he advanced to the fourth round of the 2026 Australian Open, defeating Corentin Moutet 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 at Rod Laver Arena. The World No. 1 required just over two hours to dispatch the 32nd seed, breaking serve seven times en route to a commanding victory.
The match featured a spectacular display of shot-making, highlighted by a ‘fantastic’ tweener by Alcaraz at the start of the second set, which he followed with a backhand chip to the corner. “It wasn’t easy,” Alcaraz commented. “When you play someone like Corentin, you don’t know what’s going to be next. That’s really difficult to approach the match, but I had so much fun with it on the court.”
Alcaraz’s triumph marks his 87th Grand Slam singles win from his first 100 matches, matching the record set by Bjorn Borg. This milestone places him ahead of legends such as Rafael Nadal and John McEnroe, both of whom recorded 86 wins from their opening 100 major matches.
Next, Alcaraz will face 19th seed Tommy Paul, against whom he holds a 5-2 lead, having won their last four encounters consecutively. “We have great battles against each other,” Alcaraz said. “He plays great tennis on hard courts with that flat backhand that he slices a lot, aggressive, great touch. It’s going to be a really interesting one.”
While the second set saw Moutet briefly fight back from 3-0 down to lead 4-3, Alcaraz responded with seven consecutive games to seal the win in two hours and five minutes. In total, he fired 30 winners, showcasing a combination of power, precision, and creativity.
Moutet also impressed with his own arsenal of trick shots, including consecutive underarm serves and numerous drop shots. “I thought we were in a drop shot competition,” Alcaraz joked. “Definitely he won.”
With the fourth round secured, Alcaraz continues his pursuit of a first Australian Open title, aiming to complete the career Grand Slam at an unprecedentedly young age.
