AO champ Carlos Alcaraz "happy to prove all the people were wrong" after triumphing in first event without Ferrero

Carlos Alcaraz arrived in Melbourne to play his first tournament without long-time former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

A few weeks later, he departs Australia as the youngest man with a Career Grand Slam in hand following an “unusual situation” during the off-season.

Read More: Ferrero joins golfer Angel Ayora's team

On Sunday, Alcaraz bested Novak Djokovic in four sets to win his first Australian Open title. While the 22-year-old said there wasn't extra motivation to show he could win without Ferrero by his side, Alcaraz was nevertheless content to silence any critics who questioned the change.

“Just happy to prove all the people were wrong,” he stated to press.

“A lot of people were talking about everything and having doubts about my level in this tournament.”

I didn't think about those people that had doubts about it. I came here just playing for myself, playing for my team. We all know how hard I worked in the pre-season to be ready for this tournament. Carlos Alcaraz

With the season’s first major checked off the list, Alcaraz for the first time will make a run for a calendar-year Grand Slam—a feat that hasn’t been accomplished by a man since Rod Laver in 1969. The world No. 1 has triumphed on his past two visits to Roland Garros, won two of the past three Wimbledon finals and is the defending US Open champion,

“It's going to be a big challenge. I just want it to be one at a time. Right now next one is French Open. I have great memories in that tournament. I feel really special every time that I go there,” he said.

“So I don't want to put myself in a really pressure position to have to do it, but it's going to be great.”

Before making a run at that target, Alcaraz has some Grand Slam-related business to arrange. Fresh ink, a tradition to commemorate his greatest tennis successes.

“I've said it's going to be a little kangaroo. It's going to be in the leg, for sure. I don't know the right, the left one,” he shared. “So I got to choose a good spot, but it's going to be for sure close to the French Open or Wimbledon.”