{"id":439211,"date":"2026-01-26T20:18:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T20:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/439211\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T20:18:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T20:18:17","slug":"nick-kyrgios-offers-to-be-carlos-alcarazs-party-organiser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/439211\/","title":{"rendered":"Nick Kyrgios offers to be Carlos Alcaraz\u2019s party organiser"},"content":{"rendered":"

January 26, 2026 \u2014 7:00pm<\/p>\n

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SPOTTED: The Carlos Alcaraz-Novak Djokovic bromance is well established, but now there\u2019s a budding friendship with talismanic Aussie wildman folk hero Nick Kyrgios, which kicked into gear after the pair bumped into each other in the depths of Rod Laver Arena last week. It was there that the Aussie tennis maverick fanboyed the Spanish top seed, much to his \u2013 and our \u2013 surprise.<\/p>\n

Regular tennis readers will recall that the genial Alcaraz has already been at the centre of some jolly japes involving fourth seed and 10-time AO winner Djokovic.<\/p>\n

Alcaraz told tennis fans how he woke up to a phone message from Djokovic which read: \u201cAll right, you have to pay me for the serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

As we reported, the former world No.1 had decided that the current No.1 was copying his serve \u2013 and was jokingly demanding royalties.<\/p>\n

Now Open Season can reveal that last Thursday afternoon, in the depths of Rod Laver Arena\u2019s secret underground city strictly reserved for tennis players and their teams, as well as Australian Open officials and staff, Kyrgios happened to bump into Alcaraz and immediately told him: \u201cYou are my favourite player.\u201d<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Carlos<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?!\u201d the Spaniard replied.<\/p>\n

Then Kyrgios made a motivational offer to the No.1 seed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to win so we can party all night,\u201d the Aussie said, promising to set it up. Too kind.<\/p>\n

The encounter has more meaning after the pair exchanged comments via the media last July, when Kyrgios the Commentator was quoted in the media predicting, on the UTS YouTube show, that Sinner would get the better of Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. \u201cAlcaraz might get distracted, he might party too much. Instead, Sinner, will stay fully focused.\u201d Correct, as it turned out, when two-time winner Sinner beat Alcaraz in the final.<\/p>\n

When tennis website Clay asked Alcaraz if he should take such advice seriously, he replied: \u201cNo, obviously they\u2019re funny comments and coming from Kyrgios, nothing surprises me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The quality of Kyrgios\u2019 Melbourne nightlife event management skills in the light of a potential Alcaraz victory is, at this stage, what we in the media like to call an unknown unknown.<\/p>\n

Handler\u2019s grand slam<\/p>\n

US actor Evan Handler has completed what he calls his \u201ccareer slam\u201d \u2014 not on court, but courtside. The actor, best known as Sex and the City\u2019s beloved Harry Goldenblatt, the sensible spouse of Charlotte York, was front row at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night, ticking off the Australian Open as the final stop in a lifetime of tennis devotion.<\/p>\n

Handler, a genuine fan rather than a celebrity blow-in, grew up watching tennis in New York where he lived for more than two decades. Tennis, he says, has been part of his life \u2013 from watching Billie Jean King and Rod Laver to hitting with a wooden racquet and jumping the fence to sneak onto clay courts near his home.<\/p>\n

After a 30-year break, he\u2019s back playing again, armed with a two-handed backhand and a slice he\u2019s proud of: \u201cI can\u2019t hit forehand topspin to save my life, but I have a decent backhand slice,\u201d he told Open Season on Monday.<\/p>\n

Off screen, Handler\u2019s relationship with tennis mirrors the grounded appeal of his most loved character \u2013 Harry. Despite decades in film and television, he still plays on public courts near his home in Los Angeles and enjoys watching Wimbledon in London \u2013 but at public live sites, rather than the royal box.<\/p>\n

\"EvanEvan Handler at the Australian Open. Tennis Australia\/Fiona Hamilton<\/p>\n

His enthusiasm was on full display on Sunday as he watched Alex de Minaur progress through to the quarter-finals, although he\u2019s nervous about his next match.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to imagine someone besides Sinner or Alcaraz winning it, but I would really hope that Alex de Minaur gives an incredible fight in his next match,\u201d Handler told us.<\/p>\n

On his first visit to Melbourne, Handler, 65, is relishing the experience and powering through the jet lag, hinting that tennis goers might even find him catching matches on one of the outer courts.<\/p>\n

\"HarryHarry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler) reveals himself to Charlotte (Kristin Davis) in the Sex and the City sequel And Just Like That…HBO Max\/Binge<\/p>\n

Despite a career spanning books, film and television, it\u2019s Sex and the City that still follows him decades after the show debuted. But these days, he says, \u201cI have gone from young women running up to me saying \u2018God I love you\u2019 to young women running up to me and saying \u2018my mother loves you\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nostalgia festival<\/p>\n

Some of tennis\u2019 biggest names have returned to Melbourne Park for a nostalgic nod to the sport\u2019s golden eras.<\/p>\n

Among them, Australian greats Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Pat Rafter, Alicia Molik, Casey Dellacqua and Sam Stosur.<\/p>\n

The kind of lineup that rewards long memories \u2013 and delights readers that prefer to read us via the print edition.<\/p>\n

\"TennisTennis Legends gather at Melbourne Park ahead of the AO Legends Cup. Tennis Australia\/Fiona Hamilton<\/p>\n

They are joined by international stars including Marcos Baghdatis, Marat Safin and Angelique Kerber for the upcoming nostalgia jamboree known as the AO Legends Cup.<\/p>\n

Now pontificating from the commentary box, Molik told Open Season she was optimistic Aussie Alex de Minaur could find a path to victory in Tuesday\u2019s clash with top seed Carlos Alcaraz.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom what I\u2019ve seen, has put on a bit of extra muscle. I feel like he\u2019s moving better now than he ever has been.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s being a bit more aggressive on bigger points.\u201d<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Alex<\/a><\/p>\n

Braving the afternoon sun on Monday, Philippoussis said he did not suffer from FOMO watching the next generation of Aussie stars on court. \u201cI am very happy with the Legends tournament, taking on half the court and playing for 45 minutes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Back on the de Minaur question, two time grand slam winner Lleyton Hewitt kept his cards close to his chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe top guys are tough to come across. It\u2019s going to be a big, big, big match for him,\u201d he said<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s worked extremely hard and given himself every opportunity, so he\u2019s still got to go out there and execute. Everybody knows it\u2019s not going to be easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"StephenStephen Brook<\/a> is a special correspondent for The Age and CBD columnist for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. He was previously deputy editor of The Sunday Age. He is a former media editor of The Australian and spent six years in London working for The Guardian.Connect via Twitter<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners