Carlos Alcaraz is gearing up for a thrilling 2025 season after a phenomenal year in 2024. The 21-year-old Spaniard clinched two Grand Slam titles, taking home the trophies at the French Open and Wimbledon. He also made Spain proud with a silver medal at the Paris Olympics. Despite these achievements, Alcaraz isn’t content just yet. His next challenge? Kicking off the new season at the Australian Open with big goals in mind.

Last season, Alcaraz had a stellar run but had to settle for the World No. 3 spot in the ATP rankings. Ahead of him were Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Italy’s Jannik Sinner. This year, Alcaraz has set his sights on bridging that gap. During a pre-event press conference on January 11th, just a day before the Australian Open, he shared his ambitions for 2025.

“For me, the goal is to try to win Grand Slams and Master 1000. That’s for me the most important tournaments of the world. Obviously, the ranking is up there, you know, in the goals as well. Trying to get as close as Jannik or try to pass Zverev as well. So the ranking is there, but mainly the thing for me is the Grand Slams. Try to win as much Grand Slams as I can,” he said.

The Spaniard currently holds 7,010 points in the ATP rankings, just behind Zverev, who has 7,935 points. However, the gap between the No. 2 and No. 1 spots is significant. Sinner sits comfortably at the top with a whopping 11,830 points. The difference is clear, and consistency is where Alcaraz struggled last season.

While he shone on the biggest stages, Carlitos faced early exits at the Cincinnati Open and the Paris. A shocking second-round loss to Botic Van de Zandschulp at the US Open further hampered his ranking progress. Alcaraz knows he’ll need to deliver consistent performances if he wants to close the gap and take the throne from Sinner.

Apparently, his rivalry with Jannik Sinner is a big part of what keeps Carlos Alcaraz motivated.

Carlos Alcaraz names his rival as one of his biggest motivators

The two young stars have faced off ten times, with Carlos Alcaraz leading their head-to-head 6-4. Last season alone, the Spaniard triumphed in all three of their meetings, including an intense semi-final clash at the French Open. But Alcaraz isn’t letting his lead in their rivalry make him complacent.

If anything, it’s driving him to work harder. In the aforementioned press conference he revealed, “The good thing for me is when I’m seeing him winning titles and at the top of the rankings, it forces me to practise harder every day. In practice, I’m just thinking about the things I have to improve to play against him. I think it is great for me, having him, have such a great rivalry so far, just to give the best of me every day.”

The Spaniard knows he needs a sharp mindset to go toe-to-toe with the World No. 1. “When you face the best player in the world, you have to do something different, different preparation, or have a different mindset. If I have a bad day against Jannik, it’s 99% that I’m going to lose. That’s what is in my mind every time I’m going to play against him,” he added.

Placed on the opposite side of the draw from Sinner, Alcaraz won’t meet his rival unless both players make it to the final.

The 21-year-old has another major milestone in his sights this season. If he wins the Australian Open, he will become the youngest male player to complete the career Grand Slam—a feat achieved by his idol, Rafael Nadal, in 2010. The Australian Open begins on Monday where the World No.3 is poised to meet Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan, in the opening round. Can Carlos Alcaraz make history at the Australian Open?