« My level of the US Open was higher, but it’s pretty close »: In Australia, Alcaraz takes the lead toward glory with total coolness
Carlos Alcaraz reached his first Australian Open semifinal on Tuesday, but he achieved much more than that. The world No. 1 and top seed has navigated the tournament without dropping a single set, moving within two victories of becoming the youngest man in history to complete a Career Grand Slam with a drive that perhaps we haven’t seen before.
Carlos Alcaraz Australian Open 2026 | © PsNewz
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 on Tuesday to finally shatter his quarterfinal ceiling in Melbourne. Before this 2026 campaign, the Australian Open remained the only major where the Spaniard had never reached the final four. By dismantling the sixth-seeded home favorite in just over two hours, Alcaraz has now secured a place in the semifinals of all four Grand Slam tournaments at just 22 years of age.
« It was a great match in terms of level, of intensity. I think I played, probably the best match so far in the tournament, » he quietly noted. Is this enough to forecast a third Grand Slam win on hard courts, following the US Open in 2022 and 2025? The future will tell, but the future looks like a welcoming place for the Spaniard.
While his 2025 US Open triumph last September was characterized by an almost supernatural level of shot-making, his current run in Australia is defined by a different kind of brilliance: a quiet, autonomous authority that suggests he is winning through maturity as much as through talent. The contrast with his 2025 quarterfinal loss against an injured Novak Djokovic couldn’t be more obvious. The similarity to the way he held his nerves at the Turin ATP Finals to secure his 2025 year-end No. 1 ranking rings a bell.
the Autonomy of a Champion
The most significant storyline surrounding Alcaraz in 2026 is his sudden transition into a leader taking responsibility. Following his high-profile split with long-time mentor Juan Carlos Ferrero in late 2025, what Alcaraz could produce without the familiar vocal guidance from his box was a total mystery. Instead, Alcaraz has embraced a newfound independence under the quiet watch of Samuel López.
A newborn capacity to take full responsibility for his tactical and emotional state was evident in his decision to change his serve motion. This growth was also on display during his victory over De Minaur. Despite a 15-minute medical stoppage in the first set and the partisan roar of the Australian crowd, Alcaraz remained “as cool as possible.” He has internalized the lessons of his previous campaigns, proving that he no longer needs a mentor to navigate the “ups and downs” of Grand Slam focus. « My team or my coach can tell you whatever, but if you don’t feel comfortable, you have to do something else, » Alcaraz noted during his press conference.
This is the footprint of the 22-year-old champion. Patrick Mouratoglou observed this emerging self-reliance as early as the 2025 French Open final, noting, « He was the one giving insurance to his box, saying “don’t worry” when the situation wasn’t in control. It’s unbelievable. It should be the contrary: the box bringing calmness to the player. »
Chasing the Ghost of the US Open
While Alcaraz is arguably playing the most disciplined tennis of his career, he remains his own toughest critic when comparing his current form to his previous peaks. When asked where he stands relative to his dominant title run in New York last summer, his assessment was candid. « I don’t know. I could say the level of the US Open is higher than the level that I’m playing right now, but it’s pretty close. » He reflected on the “unmatchable” serving and precision he produced at Flushing Meadows, yet he expressed pride in the way he has solved the specific puzzles presented by the Melbourne courts.
His progress is most visible in his ability to find answers when his focus occasionally wavers. Both in his fourth-round win over Tommy Paul and his quarterfinal against De Minaur, Alcaraz experienced brief lapses, as usual, yet he never once felt the match was slipping away. This mirrors his 2025 French Open victory, where he admitted that at no time did he think he could lose the final despite facing match points.
« Not having up and downs in the matches has been one of my best or one of the main goals for me, which I’m just trying to put into work really every practice. If I have a practice two hours, two hours and a half, playing sets or playing against another player, I’m just trying to play the same level and having the same concentration, you know, point after point after point. I think the work pays off and I’m just having a great mindset and a great concentration, you know, during the whole tournament, which I’m just really proud about seeing all the hard work pay off. »
Alex de Minaur could only confirm the height of the mountain. « To be honest, when I played him in the exhibition just before the tournament, I thought his level was freakishly good, » the Aussie said after the match. « Tonight was pretty similar. Especially in those night conditions, he’s so strong. He’s able to generate so much force, and his unforced errors just almost disappear (32 total, but only 16 in the first set, editor’s note). It was pretty tough for me to really hurt him at all, right? That’s the biggest thing. The rallies start. I’m probably hitting the ball bigger than I’ve hit previously in these types of matches, but I’m still not able to kind of hit through him. He’s obviously got the ability to generate on command. If you leave one ball short, then the point’s over. So he’s definitely playing at a very high level. I’ll be very intrigued to see how the rest of the tournament plays out. »
As he prepares to face the third seed Alexander Zverev on Friday, Alcaraz knows he is on the cusp of history. He is playing to become the youngest man to achieve a Career Grand Slam, and his 2026 mission is singular. « Me and my team, we’re going to be ready, » he warned. « If he wants to beat me, he has to sweat a lot. »
