Carlos Alcaraz talks new serve motion, Novak Djokovic similarities at 2026 Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia—There was one change Carlos Alcaraz made ahead of the 2026 season that he was more than happy to discuss.

After an Australian Open Media Day press conference peppered with questions about his shock split from longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, the world No. 1 broke into a smile when asked about the latest tweak to his serve motion.

“You wanted to say it's really similar to Djokovic serve?” he joked. “I know you want to!”

Indeed, when practice clips dropped showing the world No. 1’s delivery, it was clear the motion bears an uncanny resemblance that of the 10-time Australian Open champion. But while he was pleased to hear—and make—the comparison, Alcaraz insists the result was pure coincidence heading into this year’s Australian Open.

“I think everyone has to make changes, small details,” Alcaraz explained on Friday. “For me the serve is something that I really want to be better every year, in every tournament. I just putting constant work on the serve.

“I would say, like, for myself, I’m just making changes all the time, every tournament, every day, without someone has to tell me. Like, for example, I just changing the movement a little bit. Now with this movement on the serve, I just feel really, really comfortable, smooth, really calm and peaceful rhythm, which I think it helps me a lot to do a better serve.”

Long a (relative) weakness in the 22-year-old’s game, Alcaraz employed service tweaks to tremendous effect at the 2025 US Open, striking 10 aces and winning over 80% of first serve points to dethrone Jannik Sinner on hard courts last summer. Still, the Spaniard didn’t rule out further tweaks to his ever-evolving game.

“Let's see how it's going to be this year. Probably you're going to see another change, I don't know if the next months or at the end of the year. I just make constant changes in every shot. It's just about really small details.”

Serve (and coach) aside, Alcaraz kept things the same over the off-season. Led by now-head coach Marc Lopez, the six-time major champion opted to keep his routines as similar as possible as he resumed his campaign to win a Career Grand Slam. Already victorious multiple times over at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open, Alcaraz was hard-pressed to bargain away the other three majors in 2026 if it meant completing the proverbial box set.

“Obviously complete the career Grand Slam is something amazing to do, be able to be the youngest that have done it before, you know, is even better,” mused Alcaraz. “But three are three! Three Grand Slam are three Grand Slam. So I don't know. It is a question that I got to think about.”

In the top half of the draw opposite Djokovic and Sinner, Alcaraz will first think towards his opening round encounter with Australia’s Adam Walton. He is projected to face No. 32 seed Corentin Moutet in the third round and either No. 14 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or American No. 19 seed Tommy Paul to kick off the second week.