Carlos Alcaraz reflected on his comfortable victory in the first round of the 2025 Australian Open, where he defeated Alexander Shevchenko of Russia, with Kazakh nationality, 6-1, 7-5, 6-1. The Spaniard, displaying solid tennis, managed to handle his opponent without much difficulty, despite Shevchenko’s ranking within the top 50. Alcaraz’s primary goal in Melbourne is to win the tournament, and with this solid start, he is eager to continue his quest.
Having opted not to play any preparation tournaments, Alcaraz focused on a solid four-week preseason instead. He explained, “We don’t have much time in December for a long preseason. There’s always the option to play a 250 tournament or the United Cup, but I felt I needed the extra weeks to properly prepare. The season is long, and I needed to be in the best shape possible for the Grand Slam. That’s why I chose not to play official tournaments before this one.”
Alcaraz also shared his thoughts on his performance, saying, “I’ve played at a good level. You never know how the first match of the year will go, but I was confident it would go well. However, I want to play better in the next round.”
The second set saw a dip in his performance, which he acknowledged: “When I play well, I’m happy, but when I feel my level dropping, I focus on getting back to my rhythm. It’s important to stay calm, knowing my good form will return.”
One notable change for Alcaraz this season has been his serve. He admitted it was challenging to execute during the match but remains confident that he will improve it. “We decided to change the motion to increase the pace. It’s a bit difficult right now, but I’ll refine it and make it more natural. Overall, my game is good, and I’m just focusing on getting into the competitive rhythm.”
Looking ahead to his second-round match against Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, Alcaraz was focused: “Nishioka is tough, but I just need to focus on my game, continue improving, and build confidence. I’ll be ready for a good match.”
Alcaraz, at just 21 years old, has one Grand Slam left to complete his collection—the Australian Open—and he remains determined to make this his year.
