CARLOS ALCARAZ ADVANCES! WORLD NUMBER ONE BEATS ADAM WALTON TO START AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2026 CAMPAIGN
Carlos Alcaraz begins his bid for a career Grand Slam with a 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 win over Adam Walton. Next up: Yannick Hanfmann.
Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his Australian Open campaign with a gritty win over local favourite Adam Walton on Sunday. He took the match 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena, firing eight aces and smacking 38 winners. Next up? Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann in round two. Still, it wasn’t all smooth sailing — Alcaraz racked up 36 unforced errors, actually more than Walton, who’s ranked 81st.
Alcaraz already owns six major titles at just 22, but the Melbourne hard courts have never really gone his way. He’s never made it past the quarterfinals in Australia, bowing out last year to Novak Djokovic and the year before that to Alexander Zverev.
If he finally cracks the code here, Alcaraz becomes the youngest man ever to complete a career Grand Slam, edging out Rafael Nadal, who managed the feat at 24. He’d also be the youngest in the Open era to reach seven Grand Slam titles since Bjorn Borg at 23. Not bad company.
You could almost sense it’d be a tough day for Walton—Alcaraz has never lost in the opening round of a Slam. Still, the 26-year-old Aussie didn’t roll over. He pushed Alcaraz hard from the start.
The reigning French Open and US Open champ came out steady, poking around for a chance to break. He finally broke through on his fifth break point in the eighth game, nailing a forehand winner and then serving out the set with his trademark speed and court coverage.
But things got interesting in the second set. Walton snagged a 3-1 lead and really made Alcaraz work for it. The Spaniard managed to claw back, but Walton held firm and forced a tiebreak. That’s when Alcaraz shifted gears and ran away with it.
He rode that momentum into the third, breaking for 4-2 and never looking back. Just like that, Alcaraz kept his Grand Slam dream alive in Melbourne.
LIFE AFTER TENNIS: HOW RAFAEL NADAL REPLACED GRAND SLAMS WITH A QUEST FOR PARS.
Rafael Nadal is obsessed with golf: Analyse his new "Spin and Swing" circuit, his wife's reaction, and his wins on the green.
Rafael Nadal admits, half-joking, half-serious, that his love for golf drives his wife a little crazy. After racking up 22 Grand Slam singles titles (second-most in the Open Era) and wrapping up his 23-year tennis career in November 2024, Nadal needed something to fill the gap. Golf quickly took over.
He’s always loved the game, even back in his tennis days, but now that he’s off the tour, he’s spending more and more time on the course. These days, if he’s not playing, he’s glued to the TV, following tournaments. His wife, Maria Francisca Perello, apparently isn’t thrilled about this new obsession.
At a charity tournament in Madrid earlier this month, Nadal laughed about it: “I follow golf every week, and my wife suffers because of it. I watched Jon Rahm in Riyadh this week; he finished strong and almost won. I just really enjoy it.”
He’s not just watching, either. Last week in Mallorca, Nadal launched his own charity golf circuit, Spin and Swing. He mentioned he’s turned down wildcard offers to play in pro events before, since tennis always came first. All the money from his new event goes to his own foundation. For Nadal, this project just comes from a genuine love for the sport.
“I’ve had invites a few times,” he said, “but it’s never worked out. Maybe one day, but only if I feel like I won’t embarrass myself out there. I’d want to at least be able to compete, even if it’s just with myself.”
He’s already tested himself in smaller tournaments and not just for fun. He actually won the Balearic Mid-Amateur Championship by seven shots in February 2024, beating out 73 other players. He won’t brag about his game, but he’s clearly got talent.
Last July, he even got in a few rounds with Roger Federer at Pula Golf Resort in Mallorca. And who knows, maybe someday we’ll see a full Big Four showdown on the fairways. Andy Murray plays too, after all.
Talking to The Telegraph last year, Nadal teased, "Yeah, it could happen, but they need to practice! On the tennis cour,t we were pretty even, but this time, I’m way ahead.”
So, don’t be surprised if you see more of Nadal on the golf course from here on out. He’s traded one obsession for another, and honestly, it sounds like his wife will just have to put up with it a while longer.
OFFICIAL RETURN: NOVAK DJOKOVIC CONFIRMED FOR INDIAN WELLS 2026; TOURNAMENT STARTS THIS MARCH
Novak Djokovic is heading back to Indian Wells: Discover the latest on his 2026 schedule, fatigue updates, and his hunt for a 6th title.
Novak Djokovic is heading back to Indian Wells this year. The tournament organisers just made it official on social media, calling it a return to “Tennis Paradise". It’s been a quiet season for Djokovic so far. He’s only played the Australian Open, where he made it to the final but lost to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. He was supposed to play the Adelaide International before that, but pulled out, saying he wasn’t physically ready. He also skipped this week’s Qatar Open, blaming strong fatigue.
Djokovic isn’t playing any tournaments in the last week of February, but come March, he’ll be back for the Sunshine Double, starting at Indian Wells. The organisers sounded pretty excited, posting on Instagram: “A legend returns. 20 years after his debut here, Novak Djokovic is coming back to Tennis Paradise!”
This tournament is a familiar stop for Djokovic. He’s won it five times, but the last couple of years have been rough. In 2025, he lost in the second round to Botic van de Zandschulp. The year before, Luca Nardi knocked him out in the third round. Before that, he skipped three straight Indian Wells events for various reasons, and let’s not forget, the 2020 edition got cancelled because of the pandemic.
You have to go back to 2016 for the last time Djokovic really made a deep run here; he won his fifth title that year, beating Milos Raonic in the final. He also took the trophy in 2015, 2014, 2011, and 2008.
This year’s Indian Wells field looks stacked. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are expected to be the top seeds, with Djokovic likely taking the third spot. After them, you’ve got names like Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton, and Alexander Bublik.
Djokovic hasn’t said exactly what his schedule looks like for the rest of the year, but he’s expected to play the Miami Open next, a tournament he’s won six times. He returned to Miami last year after five years away. After that, all eyes shift to the clay-court season, starting with the Monte Carlo Masters.