Carlos Alcaraz has secured a straight-sets victory over Tommy Paul at the Australian Open 2026, winning 7-6(8-6), 6-4, 7-5 to advance to the quarter-finals. This marks his third consecutive quarter-final appearance in Melbourne, further consolidating his status as the world No. 1.
Since August 2022, Alcaraz has dominated men’s tennis, claiming two Wimbledons, two French Opens, two US Opens, and eight Masters 1000 titles. At 22, he has achieved 14 Grand Slam quarter-final appearances before turning 23, surpassing the likes of Bjorn Borg and Boris Becker. Yet the Australian Open title remains the only major missing from his record.
Alcaraz’s performance against Tommy Paul showcased his improved serve. He hit 70% of his first serves, winning 79% of points on them, and secured 68% of points on his second serve, demonstrating the effectiveness of his retooled service motion.
Reflecting on his progress, Alcaraz said: “I’m hungry for the title. This is my main goal for this year. I just really want to perform better than I did previous years.”
With this win, Alcaraz now faces either Alexander Bublik or home favourite Alex de Minaur in the semi-final — a stage he has never reached in Melbourne before. A victory there would move him closer to completing the career Grand Slam and becoming the youngest man to achieve this feat, surpassing Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz’s journey illustrates both resilience and growth. Previous disappointments in Melbourne are behind him, and his dominant display against Paul confirms he is a serious contender for his first Australian Open title.
“Completing the career Grand Slam is something amazing to do. To be the youngest [to have] done it before is even better,” Alcaraz reflected.
