C-Note: Alcaraz Celebrates 100th Major Match Sweeping Into AO Fourth Round

By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, January 23, 2026
Photo credit: Jon Buckle/ROLEX

Bending the ball into obscure areas of the court, Carlos Alcaraz and Corentin Moutet put on a shot-making spectacle.

A creative Alcaraz celebrated his 100th career major match outshining the flashy Frenchman 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 to fire into the Australian Open fourth round.

It was Alcaraz’s 10th consecutive Grand Slam match win and came with some electric strikes. Alcaraz treated Rod Laver Arena fans to virtually the entire shot spectrum in an entertaining straight-sets win. Alcaraz improved to 87-13 lifetime in Grand Slam play, matching legendary Bjorn Borg’s major match record after 100 matches.

“I think my level is getting better and better,” Alcaraz said. “Obviously today, you know, Corentin, I
think he isn’t a player who play with so much rhythm, you know, in the match, with dropshots, slices. So sometime it’s tricky to get the good rhythm, which I think today I just got whatever I could, which I’m really happy about it.

“Yeah, I’m just happy about the level, happy about the match. It was a few highlights, which I’m just happy
about it. Yeah, excited to keep it going.”

Six-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz is a champion for all surfaces making history as the youngest man to capture Grand Slam championships on the three major surfaces: hard court (2022 and 2025 US Open), grass (2023-2024 Wimbledon) and his native surface red clay at Roland Garros (2024-2025). 

Continuing his quest to become the youngest man in history to complete the career Grand Slam, the 22-year-old Alcaraz advanced to a fourth round meeting vs. American Tommy Paul.

The 19th-seeded Paul continued his career-long mastery of Alejandro Davidovich Fokina with a 6-1, 6-1, retired victory. 

It was Paul’s fifth win over Davidovich Fokina in as many meetings, including a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 thrashing at the 2025 AO. Paul improved to 2-10 lifetime vs. Top 20 players at Grand Slams.

Alcaraz has beaten Paul in five of seven meetings, including 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 dismissal over the hobbled American in the 2025 Roland Garros quarterfinals. Both of Paul’s wins over Alcaraz came on Canadian hard courts in 2022 and 2023. 

“Well, he’s a great player. You know, we were talking earlier in the locker room, when was the last time we played against each other? Okay, it was in the French Open,” Alcaraz said of Paul. “So it’s been a long time. I know what I have to do, but he’s really, really fast. He has great shots, good hands, as well.

“So I got to play my style. I got to play my tennis, my good shots if I want to beat him.
But obviously I know I’m going to suffer, and I have to be ready for that, and I have to accept the tough moments that is gonna be in the match. You know, from that, just move on, and I’m trying to feel comfortable, you know, in those rallies, in those tough moments.

“So that’s what I have to do if I want to beat Tommy.”

The 20th-ranked Paul has not surrendered a set in tournament wins over compatriot Aleksandar Kovacevic, Thiago Agustin Tirante and Davidovich Fokina, but the explosive Alcaraz poses problems all over the court.

Paul said playing proactive tennis and competing with strong self-belief are keys to challenging the world No. 1.

“I mean, it’s always an interesting matchup. Always a great challenge playing Carlos,” Paul said. “He
can really do anything on the court. Lightning fast. I mean, he’s like the standard that everyone’s trying to
catch up to right now.

“But you got to go into that with excitement, be ready to face that, be ready to bring your best level, believe in yourself.”

Apart from a brief concentration lapse that saw Alcaraz blow a 3-0 double-break lead in the second set, the top seed was in fine form today. 

Alcaraz belted 30 winners against 20 unforced errors and broke the left-hander’s serve eight times.

The US Open champion broke at 15 to open the match then scored the double break for a 4-1 lead. Alcaraz won 13 of 17 first-serve points in sealing a one-set lead.

The 2025 quarterfinalist sped out to a 3-0 lead, but then things got complicated for a stretch.

Inexplicably, Alcaraz was playing the Frenchman’s more damaging lefty forehand wing. 

Moutet made Alcaraz pay the price pounding some forehand return winners down the line to break back in the second set. When Alcaraz tripped a double fault off the top of the tape, Moutet scored his second straight break to level the set 3-all after 70 minutes.

Deadlocked at 4-all, Moutet was in prime position for a high backhand volley. Trying to create a sharp angle, the Frenchman found the net to face break point. Alcaraz rapped a return to break for 5-4, celebrating with a loud “Vamos!”

The top seed snaked a body serve into Moutet’s hip to close a tight 51-minute second set.

That 4-all game completely changed the tenor of the match as Alcaraz streaked through six straight games stretching to a two-set, 4-0 lead. When Moutet’s final forehand strayed wide, Alcaraz was through in two hours, five minutes.