Carlos Alcaraz’s 2025 season ended a bit earlier than anyone expected. “Heartbroken,” Alcaraz had to withdraw from Spain’s team for the Davis Cup Final 8 due to a right thigh injury. Having already played 80 matches this season (winning 8 titles, including 2 majors), his hopes to build momentum toward the new year got a bit disrupted. But even as the Spaniard focused on recovery, a new storyline began to swirl around him – one that came not from the court, but from the microphone. 

On a recent episode of the ‘Advantage Connors’ podcast, tennis legend Jimmy Connors and his son Brett turned their attention to Alcaraz’s unusually packed off-season schedule. The exhibitions, the appearances, the globe-trotting commitments…everything that comes with being one of the sport’s most in-demand young superstars. And, Jimmy didn’t hold back! Alcaraz is set to feature in two exhibition events in early December in the US. The first one will be held in New Jersey on December 7, and then the second one in Miami, a day later. Seeing the hamstring issue which forced him to pull his name out of the Davis Cup, Brett Connors said, “It would be fun to see how those guys go into the new year, see how many exhibitions Carlos plays in the next month… That’s the money-making season.”

Hearing this, his father gave a nod, saying, “Yeah, it’s money-making season. I mean, like he hasn’t made enough anyway.” This year, Carlos Alcaraz has already earned around $18,803,423 as prize money on the Tour. From the Six Kings Slam this year, he earned around $1.5 million as a participation fee. So, Brett went on to add, “More is always better.” The great Jimmy Connors then replied, “More is better. You’re right, but it’s going to be interesting to see do they force it and play more exhibitions and go into the Australian tired? Well, I’ve been traveling, I’ve been doing this, and I play too many exhibitions, too many specials. You make a lot of money, and you lose in the second round of Australia.”

However, Brett disagreed with this, saying that he doesn’t think this would happen. He pointed out, “The top guys are smart enough. Yeah, and they’re young, they’re in their early 20s. These guys can play and run and do whatever they need to do forever. So, yeah, that’s not a bad thing.”

In an era dominated by the likes of other superstars like Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and a bunch of rising stars, even a 70% Carlos Alcaraz won’t be enough. Perhaps that’s what Jimmy Connors wanted to point out. However, this wasn’t the first time that a tennis legend had raised their eyebrows about Alcaraz’s participation at the exhibition events.

Last month, Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs criticized Alcaraz for his constant complaints about the hectic tennis schedule but still participating in these exhibition events. During The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, she said, “I find it funny because, even though I love Carlos, I recently noticed that he had registered for all the exhibitions scheduled at the end of the season. It’s hard to take them seriously when they say that the calendar must be lightened so that they can go and play exhibitions in the suburbs of Miami. Again, it’s not really a criticism; it’s just a little inconsistent. Yes, it’s just that it makes me laugh.”

Although Carlos Alcaraz had previously justified his participation at the exhibitions, saying it’s a shorter format, much less gruelling than Tour competitions, with fewer demands on the players, still, it’d be interesting to see if these events in December disrupt his bigger goal in January next year.

Carlos Alcaraz sets his eyes on completing the Career Grand Slam at the 2026 Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz has always embraced big dreams, but as the 2026 season creeps closer, one goal shines brighter than the rest: completing the elusive Career Grand Slam. Standing at just 22, the Spaniard already wields a resume that rivals legends decades his senior. Yet, as he steps into the cusp of a new year, there is a different kind of fire in his eyes – one lit not by what he’s achieved but by what’s still missing. The Australian Open. The lone piece of a puzzle he has been carefully assembling since his teenage years.

His best record in Melbourne has been reaching the QF twice (2024, 2025), but guess what? If he wins the title next year, he’d become the youngest ever Career Grand Slam winner. What does he have to say about achieving this incredible milestone?

Well, in a recent press conference ahead of the ‘Racquet at the Rock’ and the ‘Miami Invitational’. Carlos Alcaraz said, “It would be a great record, to be honest. I’m really looking forward to win Australia one day, I’m really excited about it.”

For Alcaraz, the 2026 AO isn’t just another slam. It’s legacy. It’s history. It’s a chance to etch his name alongside the tennis greats, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic – not as a successor, but as a peer. Alcaraz further added, “The good part of it is that it’s the first Grand Slam. I start the season playing a Grand Slam straight away, which could be tricky with not a lot of competition rhythm, but I’m going to do a really great pre-season to be ready for that, and obviously, having that record of being the youngest player to complete the Calendar Grand Slam, it is something that sticks in my mind.”

Do you think Carlos Alcaraz can outclass the two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner next year at the AO and add yet another feather to his cap? Share your thoughts in the comment box.