FEDERER DESCRIBES POTENTIAL ALCARAZ CAREER GRAND SLAM AT 22 AS REMARKABLE

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By: Fasasi Hammad

Roger Federer said on Thursday that Carlos Alcaraz completing a career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open at just 22 would be “crazy.”

The Spanish star already owns six Grand Slam titles, but success on the hard courts of Melbourne Park remains the missing piece in his résumé.

If the world number one ends his Australian Open drought when the tournament begins on Sunday, Alcaraz would become the youngest male player in history to achieve a career Grand Slam.

“At his age, to already complete the career Grand Slam would be crazy,” Federer said at Melbourne Park, where he is set to headline the Battle of the World No. 1s at the official launch of the 2026 Australian Open on Saturday.

“Let’s see if he can do something ‘crazy’ this week. I hope he does, because for the sport, it would be an unbelievable and special moment,” the Swiss great added.

Alcaraz is aiming to surpass his retired compatriot Rafael Nadal, who completed the career Grand Slam at the age of 24. However, the top seed has never advanced beyond the quarter-finals in four previous appearances at the Australian Open.

Federer, asix-time champion in Melbourne, likened Alcaraz’s quest for the title to Rory McIlroy’s long pursuit of a first Masters victory in golf—a feat the Northern Irishman finally achieved last year to complete his own Grand Slam.

“It’s like Rory going after the Masters. Those moments are tough,” Federer said.

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