Carlos Alcaraz says regaining the world number one spot is ‘his goal’ for the season after a successful return to action in Buenos Aires.

The 20-year-old beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-2, 7-5 in his first match since losing at the Australian Open to Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals.

That defeat saw both Medvedev and Jannik Sinner, the players who contested the final in Melbourne, close the gap on Alcaraz, who is ranked number two in the world right now.

However, world number one Novak Djokovic dropped points in Australia, meaning Alcaraz is well-positioned to launch a challenge – and that is exactly what he intends to do.

“It’s a goal,” Alcaraz said on court after his win in Argentina. “You have to set goals for yourself. I’m trying to move forward, to do it.

“There are great players fighting for the number one ranking. It’s going to be a good fight. Hopefully I recover it soon.”

Carlos Alcaraz ‘really happy’ with win

If Alcaraz is going to make a serious run for world number one this year, then the clay season is going to be vital to his chances.

The real red dirt action will get underway in Monte-Carlo after the hard court Sunshine Double of Indian Wells and Miami, but Buenos Aires is an early indicator of clay form and the signs were good for Alcaraz against Ugo Carabelli.

“It was a really tough match,” he said. “He’s a really good fighter and a player with good rhythm. He was really tough to beat.

“Playing my game… I started nervous, I’m not going to lie, with the crowd behind him supporting him. It’s normal obviously.

“I’m really happy with my first match on clay since Roland Garros. I’ll keep on going.”

Alcaraz will now face Italian Andrea Vavassori in the quarter-finals on Friday.

READ NEXT: Rafael Nadal: ‘Carlos Alcaraz is better than I was at his age’

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Rafael Nadal says Carlos Alcaraz is better than he was at the same age as he tipped his compatriot for ‘an incredible career.’

The two Spaniards will face off against each other in a special exhibition, The Netflix Slam, in Las Vegas in early March, and they have already played each other in Masters events too.

While Nadal is coming to the end of his career, Alcaraz is just starting his, meaning Spanish tennis can move seamlessly from era to the next.

But, as far as Nadal is concerned, Alcaraz is already ahead of where he was at a similar age, remarkable as that will sound to anyone who watched the King of Clay’s emergence on the ATP Tour.

“He’s a great kid,” Nadal told La Sexta. “A very complete tennis player at his age, with very few weaknesses.

“At his age I had a worse serve, a worse volley, a worse backhand, I had many things worse than him at his age.

“He has things very clear, from what I read at the press conference. He has a lot of ambition.

“At his age I would never have thought of something like wanting to face the best in the final. I think he has all the ingredients to have an incredible career.”

How does Carlos Alcaraz compare to Rafael Nadal?

Alcaraz has had to put up with being called ‘the new Rafael Nadal’ from even before he set foot inside an ATP Tour main draw.

Their games are not all that similar in truth, but they seem to both have that same warrior-like mentality.

They have had similar breakouts too. Nadal won his second major just a month or so before his 20^th birthday, while Alcaraz won his second major a month or so after his.

Crucially, though, while Nadal’s first Grand Slam titles were both on clay, Alcaraz is already a multi-surface major winner. Interestingly, clay is the one surface on which he hasn’t won a Grand Slam yet.

They have played each other three times, with Nadal winning two of them. The last time, they met, though, Alcaraz not only won but beat Nadal on clay. It was at the Madrid Masters and he also then beat Novak Djokovic in the semi-final before winning the title.

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Rafael Nadal has officially withdrawn from Doha as he continues his attempts to get back to playing regular tennis.

This season was supposed to be Nadal’s big return from injury after a year out with a hip problem, but so far he has managed just a few matches in Brisbane.

He then withdrew from the Australian Open, but quickly got himself on the entry list for Doha, which is due to start next week.

However, he has now delayed his return again.

“I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly,” Rafael Nadal said via his social media channels.

“Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won’t be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win in 2014.

“I will focus on keep working to be ready for the exhibition in Las Vegas and the amazing Indian Wells tournament.”

I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly. Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won’t be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win… pic.twitter.com/U4GUvIITcr

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) February 14, 2024

What are the key dates for Rafael Nadal comeback?

As Nadal says himself, his next scheduled appearance is the for the exhibition in Las Vegas against Carlos Alcaraz.

The highly anticipated ‘Netflix Slam’ is due to take place at the Mandalay Bay resort on March 3.

That is just three days before Indian Wells, which would suggest Nadal will either play both or neither. Should that go to plan, he will play the Miami Open on March 20 as well.

Of course, this is Rafael Nadal we are talking about, so his big target is the start of clay season.

That gets underway on April 7 with the Monte-Carlo Masters, and you suspect Nadal will not play before then if there is even a slight risk of aggravating an injury.

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Rafael Nadal has dismissed accusations of him ‘selling out’ to sportswashing by becoming an Ambassador for Saudia Arabian tennis.

Saudi Arabia are using their vast wealth to perform what many consider to be a hostile takeover of work sport, with top level golf and boxing already going there and Premier League football club Saudi Arabia also Saudi owned.

Their own football league is also receiving significant funding from the state, allowing them to sign stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane.

It’s all in an effort to distract from the country’s record on human rights issues, and tennis appears to be next on their list.

To that end, they have signed up Rafael Nadal, but he refutes any suggestion that is a sign of him ‘selling out’ and more evidence of him giving them a chance to prove they have changed.

“I don’t think Saudi Arabia needs me to wash any images,” Nadal said. “It is a country that has opened up to the world and it is a country with great potential.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have been announced in a star-studded lineup for a Saudi Arabian exhibition event, set to take place in October

But, do you think that exhibitions should take place during the tennis season? https://t.co/ybSxKJQrnB

— Tennishead (@tennishead) February 6, 2024

“Therefore, it is logical that the world is beginning to there and the feeling is that everything is bought with money and that now Rafa has also been sold to money. I understand that people think that they, of course they do.

“Are things that need to be improved today [in the region]? Without a doubt. It is a country that is very late in many things and has only recently opened up a bit.

“If the country does not achieve the evolution that I think it has to follow in the next 10-15 years, I will tell you that I was completely wrong.

“I think I’m going to have the freedom to work with the values that I think I have to work with and that are the right ones. If it doesn’t happen, I’ll tell you that I made a mistake.”

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz ‘is mentally light years away from Sinner’ claims former pro

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Tennis is such a brilliantly crazy spectacle that many claim you couldn’t write it, but have we all been deceived? Well, according to a brilliant spoof video starring Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, we have.

The video, created by the ATP Tour, claims players are all portrayed by actors who receive a script at the start of every year to act out.

In it, your favourite stars of men’s tennis, including Dominic Thiem, Andrey Rublev and Gael Monfils, are shown discussing the production of the spoof TV series ‘The Tour’ not as themselves, but the fictional actors who play them. They have even gone as far as creating Instagram profiles for the supposed actors.

“I’ve been part of this show for 16, 17 years, or ATP seasons, as we call them,” Novak Djokovic – or actor Bert Critchley if you prefer – says.

“Something that I’m really trying to evoke with this Novak character is not just the performance and the achievements, but a bit more of an essence. A bit more of a personality.

“I try to have people relate to him. I want to bring truth to Novak. What is he thinking? What is he feeling? What would motivate him if he was a real person? It’s not easy but it works.”

Naturally, Andy Murray wouldn’t allow this kind of comic caper to sneak by without him adding his own deadpan dry humour to it.

Under the name Fraser McKnight, Murray delights in the production values that have apparently fooled so many.

“We usually get our storylines at the start of the year and we just try to make everything look natural,” ‘McKnight’ said.

“Let’s face it, people are stupid, so they’ll buy anything. We just try to make everything look real and the viewers seem to love it.”

Other highlights include Thiem and Rublev recording their distinctive on-court noises in a sound studio, as well as Gael Monfils – well, Peter McArthur – bumbling his way around corners and through corridors due to having two left feel and zero coordination in real life.

The video is brilliantly crafted and creative, and the tennis players certainly deliver in front of the camera.

It’s also great to see a sport that is often unfairly accused of taking itself too seriously show some genuine humour.

You can watch it for yourself below.

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz ‘is mentally light years away from Sinner’ claims former pro

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Novak Djokovic ‘was healthy’ at the Australian Open, his coach Goran Ivanisevic has confirmed.

There were rumours that came out of Serbia following his loss to Jannik Sinner that Novak Djokovic was ill the night before the match.

They followed reports from before the tournament that the 24-time major winner was struggling with an elbow injury.

But, despite previously admitting Djokovic was ‘somehow not right’ throughout the entire Australian Open, Ivanisevic says it was not a health issue.

“No, nothing bothered him, he was healthy, but it just didn’t work out,” Ivanisevic told Sportklub.

“It can happen to him too, he is flesh and blood. On the other hand, if he had to have lost to someone, then I’m glad it was Sinner.”

Novak Djokovic ‘somehow not right’ in Australia

Novak Djokovic was the hot favourite to win the Australian Open, but largely because he is always the favourite by default in Melbourne.

His record is so good there that it is approaching Rafael Nadal Roland Garros levels of dominance.

The defeat to Sinner snapped a 33-match winning streak for Djokovic at the Australian Open, but Ivanisevic is remaining philosophical about it all.

“Sooner or later he had to lose, we all knew that,” he said.

“It’s just a shame that it happened this way, but against Sinner if you’re not 100%, you have little chance. And even when you’re at 100%, you can still lose.

“However, the whole Australian Open Novak was somehow not right, from the first round onwards. Well, let’s move on, it’s nothing that tragic.”

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz told he has one vulnerability that ‘leaves a lot to be desired’

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Andy Roddick says Carlos Alcaraz risks having his astonishing progress halted by his failure to develop his serve.

Alcaraz, 20, has already won two majors and he looks set to be a fixture in the top five in the world for the next decade at least.

His game has certainly developed at a frantic pace, and his forehand is arguably already the best on the ATP Tour right now.

However, he can still look vulnerable, especially on his own serving games. That was certainly what cost him at the Australian Open, where Alexander Zverev was able to dominate him from the off.

Roddick, who was one of the greatest servers tennis has ever seen, believes it is a vulnerability that will continue to plague Alcaraz until he can develop a lot more variation.

“I think his serve leaves a lot to be desired,” Roddick told the Served Podcast about Carlos Alcaraz.

“That is the one thing that I don’t think has really improved much at all in the last two years. I remember watching him, kinda his breakout – we knew about him – but winning Miami a couple of years ago and he was serving 135, and now I feel like he’s serving 127.

“There’s not a lot of motion to it, right? There are big servers, who serve straight through the court. And so, they’re are the type of servers that serve 136, but if you get a racket on it, you can square it up a little bit.”

“And then there’s like the Federer type servers that can serve 118 and the ball’s sliding against your racket and it just feels a little bit squirrely – so where you’re kind of hitting foul balls off the serve.”

“Alcaraz, if he’s not hitting that kick serve – that’s getting you up and away and out of the zone – it feels like people are able to firm up his first serve when he goes after it. You need to create a little motion on that serve, he needs to create a little bit of tail.”

“Especially with how good he is on that first ball and how much he can bully you. Right now, even his slice serve feels like it kind of goes straight. It doesn’t have that like Sampras swing on it where it’s tailing away from you and you’re kind of having to chase it.”

“It’s like, if you read it right, you can kind of square it up and get that good pop sound to it. So I think the serve is the most obvious place to improve with Alcaraz.”

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz ‘is mentally light years away from Sinner’ claims former pro

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Carlos Moya has confirmed that Rafael Nadal will skip the South American clay tournaments this year to stick with hardcourt events instead.

Nadal is coming back from a hip injury and he was forced to pull out of the Australian Open with a minor problem this month.

However, he has already confirmed he will return quickly, with Doha in mid-February already pencilled in for his return.

Ordinarily, Nadal would be heading to South America to play the clay events at this time of year, but the difficulties in switching surfaces has led to a scheduling rethink this time around.

Speaking to Punto de Break, Moya said: “Surface changes are not easy.

“While it is true that the clay should be better for the joints, to go from hard court to the clay, to go back to the United States and then again to the clay, we thought it was a little excessive.

“That’s why we chose this calendar, without so much change of surface.”

Rafael Nadal will be ‘a candidate to win’ any tournament he plays

Nadal has been careful to try to manage expectations this year, stressing that he does not know what level he can return to.

There is, of course, good reason for that. Tennis is noxious among sports for requiring a long catch-up period after injury. The difference in level and intensity between practice and matches has seen many a top player struggle to work their way back up the rankings after a long spell out.

And is 37 too, and it’s not something that gets any easier with age.

That said, Carlos Moya believes Nadal could be unique due to his natural intensity level being famously high, and he says no one should be writing him off.

“Rafa reminded me of a bull that has been locked up for a year,” he said.

“You release it and it goes like a beast. He will be a candidate to win the tournaments he plays”

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic still reigns in the rankings despite Jannik Sinner success

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The 2024 Australian Open felt like a bit of a watershed moment for men’s tennis, with Jannik Sinner firmly establishing himself as an elite player.

Rafael Nadal’s return never happened, and Novak Djokovic looked almost human too. It was refreshing to see in many ways. Well, depending on who you support at least.

The final didn’t disappoint at all either, with five brilliant sets of tennis being produced by two players who are helping lead the way in the new ATP order.

So, let’s enjoy six fun facts to emerge from a brilliant 2024 Australian Open final.

Marathon man Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev was on court for 24 hours in total at the Australian Open, itself a record and absolutely remarkable.

You may not realise how completely historic that is, though.

In fact, Medvedev is the first ever Grand Slam finalist in the Open Era to have endured four five-set matches at a single event. No wonder he lagged a little physically towards the end!

1 – With Jannik Sinner taking him to a fifth set in the AO final, Daniil Medvedev is the first Grand Slam finalist in the Open Era to have appeared in four five-setters at that Grand Slam event. Sheesh.#AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @DaniilMedwed @atptour pic.twitter.com/sHcyyjsR7m

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 28, 2024

A year of five-setters

While we are talking about five-set matches, though, it’s worth noting that the 2024 Australian Open equalled the all-time record.

The final was the 35th match to go the full distance in the men’s draw and no Grand Slam event has ever produced more.

It doesn’t set a new record, though. It merely ties the 1983 US Open.

35 – This year’s AO final between Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev is the 35th five-setter at the event, equalling the Open Era record for the most five-setters at a single Grand Slam event – US Open 1983. Marathons.#AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @TennisAustralia @atptour pic.twitter.com/vSJIkm23Kd

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 28, 2024

Jannik Sinner won it the hard way

Although Grand Slam titles are the hardest to win, you can still get relatively fortunate in the draw.

In the past we have seen players make it all the way to the final without ever having to play a top 10 player. It’s rare, but it happens.

That certainly wasn’t the case for Sinner, though. In Andrey Rublev, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, he had to beat three top five players in consecutive rounds to win the title.

In achieving it, he joined some very elite company. Indeed, only Roger Federer (2007 US Open) and Novak Djokovic (2012 Australian Open) have done it before.

3 – Since 1973, Jannik Sinner is only the 3rd player to claim successive ATP top 5 wins in the QF, SF and final at a GS on hard court, after Federer (US Open 2007) and Djokovic (Australian Open 2012). Unique. #AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @janniksin @atptour pic.twitter.com/KbjBL7skE9

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 28, 2024

Sinner not waiting around

Due to the dominance of the Big Three, tennis feels like it has been waiting a long time for some new stars but we are getting them now.

Carlos Alcaraz already has two Grand Slam titles and now Sinner has joined him in getting over that hurdle early in his career.

In fact, he is the third youngest men’s Australian Open ever at Melbourne Park. Only Djokovic (2008) and Jim Courier (1992) were younger when then got their names engraved on the trophy.

3 – Jannik Sinner is the 3rd youngest player to win the Men’s Singles title at the Australian Open since 1988 (when the tournament moved to Melbourne Park), older only than Novak Djokovic in 2008 and Jim Courrier in 1992. Quality. #AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @janniksin @atptour pic.twitter.com/FptS21ZnIg

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 28, 2024

Jannik Sinner showing his mettle

It wasn’t just that Sinner won the Australian Open that was so impressive, but how de did it as well.

The youngster was two sets down in the final against Medvedev and being dominated in just about every metric, and many expected the more experienced Russian to ease to victory from there.

Sinner was having none of that, though. He dug in, fought back and won the match. In doing so, he became only the second player under the age of 23 in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam final from two sets down.

The other: Bjorn Borg at Roland Garros in 1974.

22,165 – At 22 years and 165 days, Jannik Sinner is only the second U23 player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam final from two sets down, after Bjorn Borg (Roland-Garros 1974). Epic. #AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @janniksin @atptour pic.twitter.com/2jflhxxPfw

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 28, 2024

Misery for Medvedev

While it was brilliant to see Jannik Sinner win a maiden major, you had to feel some sympathy for Daniil Medvedev too.

He put in an enormous shift on court to reach the final and produced two and a half sets of scintillating tennis in it.

Medvedev also had demons to exorcise from 2022 when he lost the Australian Open final from two sets up against Rafael Nadal.

Sadly, history repeated itself and Medvedev because the first man in history to lose multiple Grand Slam finals from two sets up.

1 – Daniil Medvedev is the first player in the Open Era to lose multiple Grand Slam finals from two sets up, after the 2022 Australian Open final. Painful. #AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @atptour pic.twitter.com/SSjdVz7DjW

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 28, 2024

Jannik Sinner consistency

Whenever someone wins a maiden major it’s sometimes quite tempted to dismiss it as a flash in the pan. In fairness, Dominic Thiem has proven relatively recently that it can still happen.

No one will be doing that with Sinner, though. Well, no one who has been paying attention at least.

Following his 2024 Australian Open efforts, he has now won 10 of his last 11 matches against opponents ranked in the top five in the world.

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic still reigns in the rankings despite Jannik Sinner success

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Daniil Medvedev says no one should be hailing Jannik Sinner yet as being better than Novak Djokovic despite his recent successes.

Sinner won the Australian Open title, coming back from two sets down to beat Medvedev in the final. That came after the Italian beat Djokovic in the semi-final, ending his 33-match unbeaten streak at the tournament.

Djokovic also lost to Sinner at the Davis Cup and ATP Finals, although he did win the tournament after beating the 22-year-old in the final.

That is starting to look like Sinner can beat Djokovic consistently, but Medvedev has warned of the dangers of trying to make mountains out of moments in tennis.

“This tournament he was the best player in the world, and that’s why he won this Slam, but we never know what happens next,” Medvedev said when asked if Sinner was now the top dog in men’s tennis.

“Right now he’s No 1 in the race [to Turin]. He continues playing like this, continues winning tournaments like this, he’s going to be No 1 in the world at one moment.

“We never know what can happen. Many, many things can happen in the tennis career.

“That’s why I think tennis is a beautiful sport because you cannot look in the future. You don’t know.

“Again, if he stays healthy and plays like he played this tournament, one moment he’s going to be No 1. Two months, in one year, in two years, one moment.

“You know, many players went through different moments in their seasons and careers, so let’s see how Jannik handles everything that is going to happen.

“I myself put myself in a good position. I guess I would be No. 2 in the race. I’ll try my best to be somewhere there close by also.”

Can Jannik Sinner overtake Novak Djokovic as world number one?

That will surely be Sinner’s goal for 2024 and rightly so. He is playing incredible tennis and shouldn’t be fearing anyone at all.

Displacing Djokovic in the rankings is not easy, though. He has now spent 410 weeks sitting at top of men’s tennis, which is 100 more than even Roger Federer managed.

And, in truth, he is still some way off launching a genuine challenge.

Djokovic is 1,545 points ahead of Sinner, but Sinner has a lot of points to defend in the coming weeks while the Serbian does not. It is premature, then, to expect an immediate challenge.

That said, a good Sunshine Double in Miami and Indian Wells and Sinner will certainly set himself up to maybe target the top spot over clay season.

READ NEXT: Three remarkable Jannik Sinner stats following Australian Open Novak Djokovic win

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