More than the Score
What are the stories to watch at the first tennis Grand Slam of the year?
What are the stories to watch at the first tennis Grand Slam of the year?
The All England Club proposals include 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000‑seat stadium.
Milos Raonic’s wife Camille Raonic penned an emotional tribute to her husband after he announced his retirement from tennis on Monday.
Camille took to social media to express her gratitude and love toward the Canadian, stating his ‘career meant so much to so many’. Raonic married Camille in April 2022 and paid tribute to her during his announcement on Monday.
“Your powerful serve became your signiture, your relentless work eithic set you apart and your quiet determination propelled you to the world’s biggest stages,” she wrote on Friday. “You broke records, shattered expectations and redefined what was possible for Canadian tennis.”
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Raonic won eight tour-level titles during his career and climbed to a career-high No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Carlos Alcaraz arrives at the 2026 Australian Open with more than just the year’s first major trophy in his sights.
The World No. 1 is playing for a chance to complete the Career Grand Slam and join another exclusive list. Should Alcaraz triumph in Melbourne, he will become just the sixth man in the Open Era — and the fifth ATP No. 1 Club member — to win all four major titles at least once.
Alcaraz would join Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Rod Laver famously captured all four majors in a single season in 1969, but the PIF ATP Rankings were not introduced until 1973. Since then, only four men have completed the Career Grand Slam, each carving a unique path through tennis history.
[NO 1 CLUB]Andre Agassi
After falling short in consecutive Roland Garros finals in 1990 and 1991, Agassi eventually got over the line at the clay-court major eight years later in 1999. The American rallied from two sets down against Andrei Medvedev in an epic final to become the first man in the PIF ATP Rankings era to complete the Career Grand Slam.
“That was a day, in between the lines of a tennis court, when I knew I wouldn’t have any more regrets,” Agassi reflected to Tennis Channel last year. “It was the last one of the four for me to win. It was one I could have won 10 years earlier a couple of times.”
During his career, Agassi won eight major titles and spent 101 weeks at World No. 1 before he retired in 2006.
Roger Federer
Federer also completed his Career Grand Slam at Roland Garros, in 2009, when he finally conquered the one major that had eluded him. His straight-sets victory over Robin Soderling came after years of three consecutive final losses to great rival Rafael Nadal.
“This might be my greatest victory, or rather the one that lifts the most pressure off my shoulders,” Federer said after the match. “I think for the rest of my career I can enjoy playing and never hear that I’ve never won Roland Garros.”
The Swiss legend lifted 20 major trophies, including winning the other three major trophies at least five times each during his career. He reached the Roland Garros final once more in 2011, but was stopped for a fourth time by Nadal.
<img alt=”Roger Federer” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/01/06/15/39/federer-roland-garros-2009-trophy.jpg” />Roger Federer wins the 2009 Roland Garros title. Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.
Rafael Nadal
Nadal secured his Career Grand Slam at the 2010 US Open, becoming the youngest man in the Open Era to do so at age 24. The victory marked one of the Spaniard’s most dominant years, winning each of the final three Grand Slam tournaments to complete a rare surface sweep.
By winning the 2022 Australian Open, Nadal achieved the Career Grand Slam twice, winning each of the four majors at least two times — a testament to his adaptability beyond a record 14 Roland Garros titles. The Spaniard finished his career with 22 Grand Slam trophies and an enduring reputation for competitive intensity.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic completed his Career Grand Slam at Roland Garros 2016, joining Federer and Nadal in a golden era defined by historic Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalries. He had fallen in three previous finals — two to Nadal (2012, ‘14) and one to Stan Wawrinka (2015) — but made no mistake with a four-set comeback win over Andy Murray.
“It’s incredibly flattering to know that Rod Laver is the last one that managed to do that,” said Djokovic, who held all four major titles at the same time. “There are not many words that can describe it. It’s one of the ultimate challenges that you have as a tennis player. I’m very proud, very thrilled.”
Djokovic would go on to complete the Career Grand Slam three times, becoming the only man in history to do so. He holds a record 24 major titles and has spent a record 428 weeks at No. 1 throughout his career.
<img alt=”Novak Djokovic” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/01/06/15/39/djokovic-roland-garros-2016-celebration.jpg” />Novak Djokovic celebrates winning the 2016 Roland Garros title. Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images.
Alcaraz at the Crossroads
Now, six-time major champion Alcaraz stands on the brink of joining this elite group. Over the next two weeks at Melbourne Park, history is once again in play for the 22-year-old.
“It’s my first goal, to be honest,” Alcaraz said after his triumph at the 2025 US Open, referring to completing the Career Grand Slam. “When I go to the preseason to [see] what I want to improve, what I want to achieve, the Australian Open is there.
“It is always the main goal for me to complete a Career Grand Slam, Calendar Grand Slam… So it’s going to be great.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Ugo Humbert kept alive his bid for a debut crown at the Adelaide International in memorable fashion on Friday night, when he edged top seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a tense deciding-set tie-break.
The Frenchman held firm under the lights to claim a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(4) victory and advance to his 11th ATP Tour final. In Saturday’s championship, Humbert will seek an eighth ATP Tour title when he faces Tomas Machac, whom he leads 1-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
“I thought I was half Australian, so thank you so much guys,” Humbert said to the crowd. “The atmosphere was so good, I enjoyed my time on the court so much. It was a great match, Foki played at a great level, and I’m super happy that I’m in the final here.”
He’s done it 😤@HumbertUgo takes out Davidovich Fokina in a three-set battle to secure his spot in the Adelaide final!@AdelaideTennis | #AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/Xlohztyh3v
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 16, 2026
For Davidovich Fokina, the loss represented another cruel near miss at the business end of a tournament. The No. 15 player in the PIF ATP Rankings suffered his second straight defeat in a deciding-set tie-break, coming after his Washington heartbreak in July, when he squandered three championship points against Alex de Minaur in the final — one of four title matches he reached in 2025 as he continues his pursuit of a maiden ATP Tour trophy.
Making his debut at the ATP 250 event in Adelaide, Humbert imposed himself for long stretches of the semi-final, carving the court open with sharp angles and relentless intent. Though Davidovich Fokina surged back to force a decider — highlighted by a scorching backhand return winner on set point in the second set — Humbert reset quickly and delivered when it mattered most, navigating the tension of the tie-break with composure.
Earlier on Friday, Machac booked his spot in the final with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over second seed Tommy Paul, continuing his resurgence in Adelaide. The Czech found an extra burst of intensity in the deciding set to reach his third ATP Tour final and first since lifting the trophy in Acapulco last February.
Both semi-finalists arrived in Adelaide seeking momentum after challenging closing stretches to the 2025 season. Paul missed the final three months of the year with a foot injury before returning in Brisbane last week, while Machac snapped a four-match losing streak — dating back to Shanghai in October — with a first-round win over Australia’s James Duckworth.
“I started very slow, but then I just tried to fight and move better, and it went great, I could barely miss,” Machac said in his on-court interview. “Normally I play great in Australia, so maybe [the turnaround in form] is because of you guys! I will just try to play my tennis and I will definitely enjoy the final.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Six-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz describes his surprise split with long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero as a “chapter of life that has to end”.
As players demand greater reward from the Grand Slams, some are optimistic about progress. Others are not so sure.
Can anyone stop Sebastian Baez in 2026? The Argentine maintained his perfect start to the new season on Friday at the ASB Classic, where he pulled double duty to reach the final in Auckland.
After rain suspended play early on Thursday, Baez returned to court against top seed Ben Shelton leading 7-5, 0-1. Upon resumption, the 25-year-old broke the World No. 8’s serve again and then held his nerve to seal his third Top 10 win and second of the season, having beaten Taylor Fritz at the United Cup last week.
Baez then returned to court shortly after and dispatched Marcos Giron 6-1, 6-4 to move to 7-0 in 2026. Baez now leads the American 3-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series and is up three spots to No. 36 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
Into his 12th tour-level final, Baez will compete for his eighth title and second on a hard court when he takes on third seed Jakub Mensik in the final.
[NO 1 CLUB]Mensik also pulled double duty on Friday at the ATP 250 to advance to his third ATP Tour title match and first since he defeated Novak Djokovic in the Miami championship showdown last March.
The 20-year-old Czech moved past big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-2, breaking the World No. 63 five times, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Mensik then earned a semi-final win against Fabian Marozsan, who dispatched Eliot Spizzirri 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 in his delayed quarter-final earlier on Friday.
In a hard-fought clash, Mensik overcame Hungarian Marozsan 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-1, saving five set points in the first-set tie-break. The World No. 18 Mensik is aiming to become the first Czech player to lift the trophy at the event since Jiri Vesely in 2015.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Era-defining rivalries continue and career Grand Slams could be unlocked as the Australian Open starts on Sunday.
Steve Crossman and panel preview the 2026 Australian Open.