Carlos Alcaraz chose not to take part in the early competitions of the year, instead focusing on training for the Australian Open, the only Grand Slam still missing in the collection of the 21-year Spaniard. And he has started strong, with a 6-1, 7-5, 6-1 victory against Alexander Shevchenko.
The first set was over in less than thirty minutes, but the Russian-born Kazakhstani player took the lead 5-3 in the the second seed. But Alcaraz reacted quickly and regained his consistency, clipping Shevchenko's wings. The three-set match lasted only one hour and 54 minutes.
Carlos Alcaraz surprised fans when he showed up a few days ago in Australia with a new haircut. "I am pleased to be through. I try to be the better version of myself every day. I work hard and that is the secret to my best level", he said.
Alcaraz' next rival will be Japanese player Yoshihito Nishioka on Wednesday. The Spaniard's best result in the Australian Open came last year, when he reached the quarter-finals. If things go as planned, he would face Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals, in a truly blockbuster match: Alcaraz has never won this tournament, but 'Nole' is the "king in Australia", and it's his best chance of winning a career-defining 25th Grand Slam.