Alcaraz and Sinner chase ninth straight major in Melbourne

In the humid buzz of Melbourne Park, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner step forward as the architects of men’s tennis evolution. They’ve split the last eight majors, a streak ignited after Novak Djokovic claimed the US Open in September 2023. As the top two in the PIF ATP Rankings, they arrive at the Australian Open poised to extend it to nine, their every baseline exchange carrying the weight of an era.

Pressure mounts from the opening rounds

Alcaraz has dominated Roland Garros twice since 2024, added Wimbledon that year, and seized the US Open in 2025 with ferocious inside-out forehands that bend rallies his way. Sinner responds with back-to-back Australian Open titles, the 2024 US Open, and Wimbledon’s 2025 crown, his flat backhand inside-ins carving open courts like a blade. The past three major finals have pitted them against each other, turning semifinals into previews of the ultimate test, where crowd murmurs swell into roars at the first break point.

This duo’s run already ranks fourth in the Open Era since 1968, but the mental edge sharpens here on hard courts that reward precision over power alone. Alcaraz eyes his first semifinal at the Australian Open, beyond the quarterfinal walls of past visits, channeling the frustration into sharper 1–2 patterns that jam returns deep. Sinner, as two-time defending champion, navigates the defender’s quiet storm, his serve averaging deeper angles to pull opponents off-balance early.

Echoes of Nadal and Djokovic’s unbreakable runs

A ninth straight major between them would mirror the feat last achieved by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic from Roland Garros 2018 to Roland Garros 2020, until Dominic Thiem broke it at the 2020 US Open by toppling Alexander Zverev in the final. Nadal and Djokovic strung another nine from Roland Garros 2010 to 2012, only for Roger Federer to end it at Wimbledon. Even Federer and Nadal’s 10 consecutive titles across 2006 and 2007 set the Open Era benchmark, a shadow that looms as Alcaraz and Sinner push boundaries.

Unlike those pairs, who built empires in less connected times, today’s pressure pulses constantly through packed schedules and global scrutiny. Alcaraz adapts his heavy topspin to Melbourne’s bounce, mixing crosscourt loops with down-the-line surprises to disrupt Sinner’s rhythm. Sinner counters with underspin slices that skid low, forcing errors in the heat where sweat blurs focus and the air thickens with ambition.

Staking claim to the Norman Brookes Cup

Lifting the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup would complete Alcaraz’s career Grand Slam, his explosive game finally cracking Melbourne’s code after years of near-misses. He arrives with offseason tweaks to his serve, aiming to neutralize Sinner’s returns that creep inside the line for aggressive takes. The Spaniard thrives on the energy, his drop shots drawing gasps as they kiss the line, pulling the Italian forward into volleys he rarely mishandles.

Sinner shoulders four majors already, his calm facade hiding the grind of consecutive defenses that demand flawless one–two combos to hold serve under lights. Home crowds crave disruption, but his inside-in backhands stretch the court wide, setting up winners that echo off the stands. If either prevails this fortnight, their streak vaults into legend, but the draw’s undercurrents whisper of challengers ready to exploit any falter.

The Australian Open unfolds with tactical layers peeling back match by match, Alcaraz’s hunger clashing against Sinner’s poise in a rivalry that redefines pressure. Melbourne’s hard courts, alive with footfalls and distant cheers, wait to see if nine becomes the new standard or if history pivots once more.