Carlos Alcaraz has reached the Australian Open fourth round after a convincing straight-sets win over Corentin Moutet.
The world number one dropped just seven games against the unconventional Frenchman, setting up a fourth-round match with Tommy Paul.
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Alcaraz says he’s made “valuable” changes to his game ahead of the Australian Open and is yet to hit top gear in Melbourne.
Even without reaching his peak form, Alcaraz has still matched an impressive record that only Bjorn Borg holds.
Alcaraz joins Borg in exclusive club after Grand Slam win at Australian Open
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Alcaraz’s win over Moutet marked his 100th Grand Slam match, and the Spaniard has a standout record from those appearances.
The world number one has won 87 of those matches, a mark surpassed only by tennis legend Bjorn Borg.
Borg had just one more win at the same stage, but every other player in history falls short of Alcaraz’s tally.
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That 87% success rate reflects the level of consistency that has already produced four majors over two years.
Even so, Melbourne hasn’t been as kind to him – he’s yet to progress beyond the quarter-finals at the Australian Open. That could change this season.
Australian Open schedule favours Carlos Alcaraz as rivals face heat
Carlos Alcaraz has been handed a break in the Australian Open schedule, as he avoids playing during an expected extreme heat day in Melbourne.
Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner is set to play a daytime match against Eliott Spizzirri under the harsh conditions, while Novak Djokovic will also be in action later that same day.
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It could work out well for Alcaraz, who gets a rest day when the temperatures are set to peak, giving him a potential edge over his main competitors.