Australian Open: Carlos Alcaraz overcomes Borges to reach fourth round
What's the story
Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz has reached the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open. This is his second time reaching the stage in four attempts.
He won after a tough match against Nuno Borges, winning 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2 in the third round.
The 21-year-old is on a mission to become the youngest player ever to complete a career Grand Slam in men's singles history.
Emotional comeback
Alcaraz's triumphant return to Rod Laver Arena
Alcaraz was delighted to return to the Rod Laver Arena, where he had lost in the 2024 quarter-finals.
"I missed Rod Laver. I'm just really, really happy to be able to play here once again," he said after beating Borges.
He added, "I tried to show my best tennis here... The last time that I played here I lost [to Alexander Zverev in the 2024 quarter-finals], so I wanted to play here and get another win here in Rod Laver."
Match highlights
Alcaraz's strong start against Borges
Alcaraz set a blistering pace against Borges, breaking in the first game and serving dominantly throughout.
As per Infosys Stats, he lost only six points on serve in each of the first two sets and converted nine of his first 11 net points.
Though Borges fought back spiritedly in the third set, Alcaraz regained control and sealed his spot in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Crowd support
Alcaraz's appreciation for Australian crowd
Alcaraz thanked the Australian crowd for their support during his match.
"I'm just happy to see a full crowd here watching my matches," he said. "It's just a privilege to feel this love here in Australia, in the other part of the world."
He also spoke about how much he enjoyed playing different kinds of shots and entertaining the audience with his skillful tennis.
Future matches
Alcaraz's upcoming challenges in Australian Open
Looking ahead, Alcaraz will face either Jack Draper or Aleksandar Vukic in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
If he progresses further, he could meet record 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated quarter-final match.
Despite their current success, neither Alcaraz nor Zverev can move within 1,000 PIF ATP Ranking points of defending champion and world number one Jannik Sinner this fortnight.
Feats
Alcaraz attains this feat, eyes these milestones
As per Opta, Alcaraz has become the fourth man in the Open Era to win 10 singles matches at each of the four Grand Slams before turning 22. He joins Mats Wilander, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic on this list.
At the Australian Open, Alcaraz could become the youngest-ever player to complete a Career Grand Slam.
The record is currently held by his compatriot and 22-time Grand Slam winner, Rafael Nadal.