Carlos Alcaraz’s pre-Australian Open preparations have garnered attention, and he has also included the Rio Open in his 2024 tennis schedule, causing some intrigue.
The two-time Grand Slam winner made a delayed start to the 2023 season as missed this year’s season opening major Down Under due to a hamstring injury and the youngster’s coaching team is keen to avoid similar issues in 2024.
As a result, the 20-year-old will not to play any warm-up events before the hard-court Grand Slam at Melbourne Park and will instead have an extended pre-season training block.
Alcaraz’s 2023 competitive season will come to a conclusion with the ATP Finals – which runs from November 12 and 19 in Turin – and after that he will take a short break before playing in an exhibition match against Tommy Paul on November 29 in Mexico.
According to Spanish paper Marca, the reigning Wimbledon champion will kick off his pre-season campaign on December 8 and that will run all the way until the lead-up to the Australian Open, which gets underway on January 14.
Alcaraz has already made it clear that one of his big goals for 2024 is to play in all four Grand Slams.
“Next year I’m looking for playing the four Grand Slams. I hope to not miss any of them,” he said recently. “I will try to do the same things that I’m doing this year.
“I would be more than happy if I won the same tournaments that I won so far of the results that I’m doing this year. That’s my goal to next year. That’s obviously. Right now I’m really happy with the level I’m playing, with the result I receive so far.”
As for the rest of his 2024 calendar, Alcaraz has also confirmed he will return to Brazil for the Rio Open (February 19-25).
The Spaniard made his ATP Tour-level debut at the clay-court event in 2020 – beating compatriot Albert Ramos Vinolas for his first-ever win. He returned in 2022 and went all the way, defeating Diego Schwartzman in the final to win his second ATP Tour title.
This year he reached the final before going down in three sets against Cameron Norrie.
“I am very happy to play the Rio Open in 2024. The tournament is special for me,” Alcaraz said. “It was where I won my first ATP match and where I won my first ATP 500. I have a special relationship with the fans, I’m excited to be in Rio again.”
The world No 2 has also been confirmed for the Argentina Open, where he is the defending champion after beating Norrie in the final. This year’s Argentina Open will run from February 12-18 on the red clay in Buenos Aires.
