Alcaraz: I’d rather lose the other three Grand Slams this year than miss out on winning the Australian Open.

Yesterday afternoon, world No.1 Alcaraz beat local top player De Minaur in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, 6-1, advancing to his first Australian Open semifinal and unlocking the achievement of reaching the semifinals in every Grand Slam. This Friday, he will face Zverev to fight for a place in the final.

Reaching the semifinals in all four Grand Slams is just a stepping stone for Alcaraz. In fact, his target this year at the Australian Open is crystal clear — to win the title and complete the final piece of the Grand Slam puzzle, thereby achieving a career Grand Slam.

At 22 years old, Alcaraz already holds six Grand Slam titles. Currently, Sinner stands as his main rival, with both players racing ahead at an astonishing pace in the tennis world.

Based on recent news reports, not only are Sinner and Alcaraz each other’s main competitors, but even some retired legends believe that the current men’s tennis scene is dominated by the “Sinner-Alcaraz” rivalry, as their results and level have clearly distanced them from the rest of the field.

In other words, there is a clear gap between the leading duo of Sinner and Alcaraz and the other players. The rest are not closely chasing them but are significantly behind.

To put it bluntly, if men’s tennis competition were a 400-meter race, Sinner and Alcaraz have already lapped many other players — they are a full lap ahead, which is evident from the current rankings.

Two days ago, world No.3 Zverev said that the current level of tennis competition has surpassed the era of the Big Three. He hinted that tennis has evolved — players now run faster and hit harder, and the chances to win points through “simple” rallies are increasingly rare.

Zverev’s view sparked widespread debate, with many disagreeing. I also think his opinion is somewhat biased; if we consider peak Federer on grass, Nadal on clay, and Djokovic on hard courts, which current player wouldn’t be completely outmatched?

Practically speaking, neither Zverev’s nor my viewpoint can be verified because it’s impossible to have a “battle of legends” across eras — you can’t put players from different times together to compete.

However, one thing is certain: today’s players do excel in some aspects compared to the Big Three of the past. For example, Alcaraz achieved the same career milestones as the Big Three at a younger age.

Currently, 22-year-old Alcaraz has won six Grand Slam titles, whereas Djokovic and Federer each had only one at the same age, and Nadal had five. Alcaraz’s six majors include two French Opens, two Wimbledons, and two US Opens.

In other words, if Alcaraz wins the Australian Open, he will complete the “career Grand Slam,” a feat achieved by very few top players in the Open Era. The data speaks for itself: only five players in the Open Era have accomplished this — Rod Laver, Agassi, Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.

An even more exciting achievement would be if Alcaraz wins the Australian Open this Sunday; at 22 years and 272 days old, he would become the youngest player ever to complete the career Grand Slam. This is precisely why Alcaraz has repeatedly emphasized that his primary goal this year is to claim the Australian Open title.

A few months ago, Alcaraz stated that to lift the trophy at Rod Laver Arena, he was willing to sacrifice two other Grand Slam titles this year. The latest update is that Alcaraz’s stance has shifted — he is now willing to lose the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open as long as he wins the Australian Open.

“This year, I’m really ready to make a change. I’m willing to trade three Grand Slams for one — the Australian Open title,” Alcaraz told reporters from Cope Radio after advancing to the round of 16.

Now, Alcaraz is just two wins away from achieving this goal. On January 30, in the semifinals, he will face world No.3 Zverev. If he advances, the final could see him play against Sinner, Djokovic, or possibly Musetti or Shelton.

Looking ahead to these two crucial matches, Alcaraz spoke with almost a “Versailles-like” confidence, saying, “I don’t feel like I’m playing better than in previous years, because I have consistently played at a high level in recent years. But last year in the quarterfinals against Djokovic, I hesitated a bit. Against players of that caliber, I know I can’t afford even a second of doubt.” Alcaraz told Cope Radio. “This year, I feel great and improve every day, which brings me great inner peace. Because I know that no matter win or lose, I will play excellent tennis, and that reassures me.”

From Alcaraz’s words, we sense that what he is truly pursuing is no longer just the Australian Open trophy, but becoming a tennis legend who rivals or even surpasses the Big Three — a younger, more precocious “tennis legend.”

In Alcaraz’s view, achieving the career Grand Slam earlier than others is worth the price, even if he fails to win any other Grand Slam titles this year.

Alcaraz’s determination to pay such a high price to realize his dream is undeniable. Yet, from a rational standpoint, there is no direct link between the “cost” he mentions and the “achievement,” but his resolve is truly moving.

Do you think Alcaraz’s “greater dream” can become a reality this Sunday?(Source: Tennis Home; Author: Yun Juan Yun Shu)