In search of his first Australian Open, Carlos Alcaraz was quick on Wednesday by winning in three sets against the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka in just 1 hour 20 minutes. The Spaniard had never spent so little time on a Grand Slam court.
He had never been so expeditious. World number 3 Carlos Alcaraz, seeking in Melbourne the only Grand Slam title missing from his record, swept aside the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka (65th) in the 2nd round of the Australian Open, Wednesday January 15. The 21-year-old Spaniard, four-time winner of major tournaments, won 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 in just over 1 hour 20 minutes, a record minimum time spent on the Grand Slam courts.
Carlos Alcaraz is not at his first attempt since this victory in three sets is the second since his arrival on Australian soil, after an already quick start against the Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko (77th), 6-1, 7- 5, 6-1. The Spaniard will face the Portuguese Nuno Borges (33rd) for a place in the round of 16, defeating the American Jordan Thompson (27th) in three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
In search of a historic record
“Physically, I feel in great shape. I just tried to stay focused and spend as little time as possible” on the court, said the four-time Grand Slam winner. “The less I play, the better,” he reacts about his quick matches. “Especially on a physical level. I try to stay focused and spend as little time as possible on it.”
If he wins in Melbourne, where his best result is a quarter-final in 2024, Alcaraz will become the youngest player in history to win all four Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and US Open). “I’m working every day to get my name on such a short list. That’s one of the reasons why I want to win this tournament. I wish it was this year, we’ll see how I feel.”
