australian open
Alcaraz dazzles in Melbourne and breaks into R4 at Australian Open
Spaniard joins Borg’s tennis history after 100th major match
January 23, 2026
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
PIF ATP world number one Carlos Alcaraz is seeking his first Australian Open trophy.
Grant Thompson
Carlos Alcaraz put on a great show for the Melbourne crowd on Friday, defeating Corentin Mutai 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
If the top seed was feeling the pressure of chasing his first Australian Open title and career Grand Slam, the Spaniard didn’t show it. Alcaraz played with confidence and freedom from the baseline, highlighted by a superb build-in at the second point of the second set, a 16-goal exchange that excited the fans inside Rod Laver Arena.
After leading 3-0 in the second set, Alcaraz lost four consecutive games, but quickly recovered and won a key break at 4-4 to take a two-set lead. The PIF ATP Ranking world number one took a double-break lead in the third set and made the final push to advance after 2 hours and 5 minutes.
“It’s not easy,” Alcaraz said. “When you play against a guy like Corentin, you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s really hard to get close to the game, but I had a lot of fun out there. I thought we both made great shots, great points. I thought there were some bright spots in the game. I’m just grateful to have a game like this with him.”
With this win, Alcaraz improved his record at the Grand Slam level to 87-13, tying Bjorn Borg’s best Grand Slam record after 100 games. The 22-year-old is a six-time major champion and has twice reached the quarter-finals in Melbourne.
Another day, another milestone 🌟
In his 100th Grand Slam match, @carlosalcaraz Defeated Mutai 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 and returned to the fourth round.@Australian Open | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/akcFw0Jjm8
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 23, 2026
Alcaraz’s next opponent is No. 19 seed Tommy Paul, who advanced after Alejandro Davidovich Fokina withdrew, giving the American a 6-1, 6-1 lead. The Spaniard reported to the physio in the second set with a problem with his left leg. Alcaraz leads Paul 5-2 in the Lexus ATP Head2Head Series.
“We had a tough battle with each other,” Alcaraz said of his clash with 2023 Melbourne semifinalist Paul. “It’s always difficult to play against him. He plays great tennis on hard courts, has a straight backhand, slices a lot, is aggressive and has great touch. It will be a very interesting match.”
In three matches over the past two weeks, Alcaraz has yet to drop a set. Against the left-handed Moutet, the Spaniard hit the ball out from both wings and scored 30 winners, several of which were passes from the Frenchman into the back of the net. Moutet showed off his best tennis skills and worked his magic with exquisite technique and feel at the net, adding a touch of entertainment despite the defeat.
“I thought we were having a lob contest,” Alcaraz joked. “Of course, he won.”
