Alcaraz Edges Past Walton in Melbourne Nightcap
Carlos Alcaraz grinds out a first-round win over Adam Walton at the Australian Open, marking his debut in a new coaching era while chasing the Career Grand Slam under Rod Laver Arena’s glare.
Under the humid glow of Rod Laver Arena, Carlos Alcaraz launched his Australian Open campaign with a 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-2 victory over Adam Walton. The World No. 1, pursuing the final jewel in his Career Grand Slam, navigated a scrappy opener that tested his adaptation to life without Juan Carlos Ferrero. Walton’s deep groundstrokes kept the local crowd engaged, but Alcaraz’s 38 winners and timely breaks sealed the two-hour, 13-minute affair.
Post-Ferrero adjustments unfold
Competing for the first time in the post-Juan Carlos Ferrero era, Alcaraz relied on Samuel Lopez from the bench to counter Walton’s probing returns. The Spaniard, now chasing his seventh major after two titles each at Roland Garros (2024, ‘25), Wimbledon (2023, ‘24), and the US Open (2022, ‘25), showed flashes of his explosive game amid the transition. Trailing 1-3 in the second set, he rallied with heavy topspin forehands that pinned the Australian deep, turning the tiebreak into a display of precision.
Walton‘s No. 79 ranking belied his threat, as crosscourt backhands stretched rallies and forced Alcaraz into defensive slices. Yet the favorite imposed a 1–2 pattern—serve followed by inside-out forehand—to reclaim momentum, avoiding any serve breaks after the initial set. This marked their second head-to-head meeting, with Alcaraz leading 2-0, his movement on the fast hard courts proving decisive in key moments.
Walton’s resilience sharpens edge
The Australian pushed for his first second-round appearance at home, absorbing Alcaraz’s power with flat serves that skimmed the baseline. In longer exchanges, Walton’s depth disrupted the Spaniard’s rhythm, drawing unforced errors and eliciting roars from the partisan night session crowd. Alcaraz responded by varying pace, dropping underspin backhands to draw errors and closing the third set with down-the-line winners that echoed off the arena walls.
Aiming to join the six men—and become the youngest in the Open Era—to claim all four majors, the 22-year-old absorbed the pressure without dropping serve late. Walton troubled him at times, but couldn’t convert break points, his inexperience in Slam spotlights showing in the decider. Alcaraz’s fighting qualities emerged strongest when it mattered, steeling him for deeper runs in Melbourne’s heat.
Day one upsets ripple outward
Beyond the main court, Alexander Bublik secured his first Australian Open win since 2022, defeating Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 as the No. 10 seed. The 28-year-old, entering the top 10 for the first time, set a clash with Marton Fucsovics, his flat groundstrokes slicing through straight sets. Bublik’s straight-set efficiency hinted at growing confidence on these courts.
American qualifier Michael Zheng stunned Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(0), 6-3 in his tour-level debut, the 21-year-old Columbia senior advancing to face Corentin Moutet. As the reigning NCAA men’s singles champion, Zheng blended collegiate grit with baseline tenacity. His upset added underdog fire to the draw’s opening chaos.
Seeds progressed steadily elsewhere: Cameron Norrie outlasted Benjamin Bonzi 6-0, 6-7(2), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, marking his third straight five-set win. Francisco Cerundolo downed Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 7-6(0), 6-3 with controlled aggression, while Frances Tiafoe dispatched Jason Kubler 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-2. Alcaraz next faces Yannick Hanfmann, who edged Zachary Svajda 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), promising another tactical chess match in his Slam quest.
