Alcaraz is gearing up intensely to achieve new glory at the North American "Sunshine Double."

World No.1 and Spanish all-rounder Alcaraz won the Australian Open in Melbourne on February 1, 2026. With this victory, Alcaraz’s career Grand Slam title count reached seven, completing a career Grand Slam achievement. At 22 years and 8 months old, he became the youngest seven-time Grand Slam champion since the Open Era began in 1968, and also the youngest male player in history to complete a career Grand Slam. On February 3, Alcaraz announced his withdrawal from the ATP 500 Rotterdam tournament starting on February 9, where he was the defending champion, to rest and recuperate.

Actually, the ATP 500 Rotterdam event holds great significance for Alcaraz. In last year’s Australian Open quarterfinal, despite leading by a set, Alcaraz faced the injured ten-time Aussie Open champion and Serbian star Djokovic, showing emotional fluctuations and hesitation, ultimately losing after Djokovic came back to win three straight sets. Alcaraz’s first attempt at a career Grand Slam ended in heartbreak at the Australian Open. Carrying the disappointment and frustration from that loss, Alcaraz entered the indoor hardcourt ATP 500 Rotterdam event for the first time. Transforming sorrow into strength, he won five consecutive matches to claim the title, redeeming himself on an indoor hardcourt surface that was previously not his stronghold, just two weeks after the Australian Open in 2025.

Moreover, by winning the ATP 500 Rotterdam last year, Alcaraz achieved a remarkable milestone: he became the first player since the ATP 500 series was established in 1990 to have won titles on all four surfaces—indoor hardcourt, outdoor hardcourt, clay, and grass. Legendary players such as Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray have never completed this feat in their careers. Federer and Murray never won a clay 500 title; Nadal never won an indoor hardcourt 500; Djokovic never won on clay and grass at the 500 level.

Facing such a significant tournament, Alcaraz still chose to forgo defending his title. Fans believe that Alcaraz’s decision was likely based on four main considerations.

First, after the physically and mentally exhausting Australian Open, Alcaraz urgently needs rest. In the first five rounds of this year’s Australian Open, he was dominant, not dropping a single set, making him the only semifinalist to keep a clean sheet in sets. However, in the semifinal against Zverev, they battled for five sets, setting the record for the longest Australian Open semifinal at 5 hours and 27 minutes. From the latter part of the third set, Alcaraz suffered an injury to his right inner thigh adductor muscle but endured the pain with immense determination and willpower to secure a hard-fought victory.

In the final against ten-time Australian Open champion Djokovic, Alcaraz was completely off his game in the first set, losing 2–6. At that moment, he suddenly snapped into focus, mobilizing all his energy, concentration, and competitive spirit, shedding all burdens and pressure, and then won three consecutive sets to complete a tough and hard-earned comeback, capturing his first Australian Open title.

On his second attempt at a career Grand Slam, Alcaraz finally succeeded. At 22 years and 8 months, he became the youngest male player in history to complete a career Grand Slam. However, the toll on him was enormous, leaving him physically and mentally drained, necessitating rest.

Second, Alcaraz and his coaching team need time to review and analyze the 2026 Australian Open to prepare for future battles: which aspects were done well and should be maintained; which areas need improvement. For example, the sudden injury to Alcaraz’s right inner thigh adductor in the second half of the third set of the semifinal occurred without intense running or extreme saves. The cause of this injury needs thorough post-match analysis and lessons learned. Also, in the first set of the final, Alcaraz was overwhelmed by Djokovic’s 2–6 dominance. Was this due to nerves, a slow start, a combination of both, or fear of aggravating his thigh injury? This also requires careful review to avoid similar situations in crucial moments going forward.

Third, Alcaraz does not want to strain himself by frequently switching between different court surfaces. The Australian Open is played on outdoor hardcourt, while the ATP 500 Rotterdam event starting February 9 is on indoor hardcourt. Following that are the ATP 500 tournaments in Doha, Dubai, and Acapulco, and then the North American “Sunshine Double” at Indian Wells and Miami, all outdoor hardcourts. If Alcaraz were to defend his Rotterdam title, he would have to switch court types repeatedly within a month, posing a significant challenge to his physical health and competitive form. Therefore, he chose not to exhaust himself and decisively gave up defending his Rotterdam crown.

Fourth, after completing the career Grand Slam at the 2026 Australian Open, Alcaraz has set his sights on the North American “Sunshine Double” a month later, so he needs time to rest and prepare. Last year at Indian Wells, where he aimed for a three-peat, Alcaraz was surprisingly defeated in the semifinals by the young British player Draper in three sets. Shortly afterward at the Miami Open, still recovering from the Indian Wells loss, Alcaraz was unexpectedly upset in the second round by 34-year-old Belgian veteran Goffin after a first-round bye, unable to replicate his 2022 Miami championship performance.

This year at the North American “Sunshine Double,” Alcaraz is eager to regroup and reclaim his titles. It is worth noting that Alcaraz is the youngest player ever to have won both Sunshine Double tournaments, but he has not won at Indian Wells for two years nor at Miami for four years.

Alcaraz is training hard to shine again at the North American “Sunshine Double!”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Qicai Doufen)