Soon we will lose track of all the tennis records Carlos Alcaraz has broken. While he is not currently ranked No. 1, he did reach that level in 2023 becoming the youngest player ever to reach the top of the ATP. Seemingly the only thing he needs to learn to do better is pace himself so that he continues to be great well into each November.
At the 2024 Australian Open, Carlos Alcaraz has played his way into the fourth round. He became the youngest player since the great Bjorn Borg to reach at least the fourth round at Grand Slam events that he played in. Alcaraz has not missed a fourth round in a major he has played in since the 2022 Australian Open.
Alcaraz did miss the 2023 Aussie Open, but since he didn’t play in the major, he did not lose. Therefore, his streak remains intact. Carlos Alcaraz has also made it to at least the semifinals of the last four Grand Slams he has played in prior to the Australian Open. As well as he is playing, however, he likely will reach at least the semis in Melbourne.
Carlos Alcaraz is great but not Bjorn Borg great quite yet
Bjorn Borg only played in one Australian Open in his career. He made the third round in 1974. Borg’s run of making at least the fourth round in majors began with him winning the French Open in 1975 and continued through the 1981 US Open, an astonishing run of 20 straight Grand Slams he played in where he reached at least the fourth round. To get past Borg, Alcaraz only needs to reach the fourth round in the next 14 Grand Slams he plays.
Moreover, between the 1979 French Open through the 1981 US Open, Borg made it to the finals in each major he played in except for the 1979 US Open where he lost in the quarterfinals. In those tournaments, he won seven times (four French Opens and three Wilbledons). Overall, Borg won 11 majors, the French six times, and Wimbledon five times.
Carlos Alcaraz has won two Grand Slams already and he could make a run in far more than Borg won. Still, staying healthy and having the will to keep playing and winning is important. Borg lost his drive to play relatively early in his career and did not make a Grand Slam final after 1981.
