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For the 2nd consecutive year, a coaching alteration volition drawback each the limelight up of the Australian Open, the season’s archetypal tennis Major.
If it was Novak Djokovic hiring Andy Murray arsenic his on-court soothsayer successful 2025, this clip it’s Carlos Alcaraz severing ties with Juan Carlos Ferrero, a concern that fetched the Spanish World No. 1 six Grand Slam titles.
Doubles fable Todd Woodbridge felt that it volition beryllium absorbing to spot however Alcaraz handles this changed dynamic. “He hasn’t ever played each tourney with Ferrero being there, but it volition beryllium antithetic due to the fact that determination is nary information blanket,” helium told prime media.
“Alcaraz has 1 happening near to bash — to triumph the Australian Open to execute the vocation Grand Slam. You request to bash it sooner due to the fact that each twelvemonth you travel back, it builds pressure. [Golfer] Rory McIlroy, each clip helium went to the Masters, that was the communicative [until helium won successful 2025].”
For Alcaraz, 22, the biggest menace is acceptable to beryllium the two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner. Woodbridge, successful fact, said that the 24-year-old Italian would beryllium his rubric pick.
Regardless of who wins it eventually, the Aussie, victor of 16 men’s doubles Majors, felt that the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry had already matched the strength of the famed match-up betwixt Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
“So aboriginal successful their rivalry, they are playing a level that we lone saw betwixt Roger-Rafa, Novak-Roger and Novak-Rafa,” Woodbridge said.
“We got 3 bonzer matches [in 2025] astatine Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, and US Open. The power, athleticism, tactics... they are there. In presumption of longevity, there’s a agelong mode to go. But successful presumption of quality, they’re already determination and astir apt above.”
Among women, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek – the top-two successful the satellite – person tried to found thing similar, but person been palmy lone fleetingly. Woodbridge, nonetheless, remains enthused.
“I emotion the contrast. You person got the level hard hitting of Sabalenka and past this implicit fighting, ‘rafaesque’ cognition that Iga brings with her spinny game. They hatred to lose, which sometimes doesn’t look arsenic good. But it shows that they deterioration their hearts connected their sleeves.”
(Watch Australian Open 2026 from January 18, unrecorded connected Sony Sports Ten 2, 4 & 5).
