Carlos Alcaraz is heading into next season with the same hunger that carried him through this year, determined to stay right at the top. The 22-year-old Spaniard locked down the year-end No. 1 ranking after defeating Lorenzo Musetti at the ATP Finals, a milestone he’s dreamed about for a long time. So naturally, the question now is, what’s next for him?

Just a few hours ago, @alcarazzupdates shared a clip on X from one of his latest interviews, captioned, “Alcaraz asked to choose for next season between winning the Australian Open or winning 2 other Grand Slams, but not AO 🤷.” In the clip, the interviewer poses the big question: “Win Australia and become the youngest in history to do the Career Slam or win two different ones, but not Australian Open?”

Carlos Alcaraz couldn’t help but laugh when the question was thrown his way, calling it “very good” before giving a direct, confident answer: “For next year? Australia.” And honestly, his answer makes perfect sense.

After a painful exit to Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, it’s no surprise that the Spaniard is hungry to return and win his first there while completing his Career Slam. Not only that, but winning Australia would allow him to beat close rival Jannik Sinner in the Career Slam race. Sinner will only get the opportunity come the French Open.

The interviewer then pushed him even further, asking, “Even if you sacrifice 2*1?” Carlos Alcaraz didn’t hesitate: “Yes, Australia,” he answered confidently. The commitment was crystal clear. Moreover, this marks the second time he’s finished the year at No. 1, and considering he became the youngest player ever to do it at 19 back in 2022, it’s no surprise he’s aiming for his next big achievement.

Alcaraz’s future always draws massive attention, and this latest interview only added more fuel to the conversation. Fans are eager to see whether he and Jannik Sinner will square off again at this event, especially with Sinner being the closest thing Alcaraz has to an on-court rival. But do you know what Sinner thinks about Alcaraz’s No. 1 crown at the ATP Finals?

Jannik Sinner reacts to Carlos Alcaraz’s year-end No.1 win

Jannik Sinner didn’t hide his mixed emotions when asked about Carlos Alcaraz finishing the year as World No. 1. After his 6-3, 7-6 win over Ben Shelton, he admitted, “I’m happy for him, but if I told you I was super happy… I’d be telling a lie!” Still, he made it clear that Alcaraz fully earned it, praising his rival’s “incredible season” that included two Grand Slams, eight titles, and elite consistency across all surfaces.

This season was the peak of their rivalry so far. The two faced off in five finals, three of them at Grand Slams and two at Masters 1000 events. They even battled in an exhibition final in Saudi Arabia, where Sinner walked away with the $6 million prize. Despite Sinner’s successes, Alcaraz still leads their head-to-head 10-5, with nearly every match pushing both players to their limits.

Sinner further went on to say that Carlos Alcaraz handled the pressure extremely well and that he deserved everything he achieved this year. “He had the pressure too, he managed it very well, but I’m glad for him. He’s a really good guy, he has a great team around him and he’s earned these achievements.”

In the end the Italian also added that this was only motivation for him to do better next year and that if anyone had to finish the year as No. 1 besides himself, he would prefer it to be Alcaraz.

So, do you think Alcaraz is making the right call by prioritizing the Australian Open over two other Grand Slam titles? And with Sinner openly admitting his mixed feelings, who do you believe will gain the upper hand in their rivalry next season?