A feat like the one they are aiming for has been achieved by just eight players in the history of men’s singles, of which only four in the Open Era: Andre Agassi (1999), Roger Federer (2009), Rafael Nadal (2010), Novak Djokovic (2016, then became the only one to win all the majors at least three times). Different story for Rod Laver, who in 1969 completed the unforgettable “Calendar Grand Slam” (all titles in the same calendar year), his second in his career: the Australian had already done it as an amateur, in a completely different context.
The mere fact that both can do it in the same year, while having to impose themselves in the two tournaments in which the opponent comes from two consecutive titles (the Italian in Melbourne, the Iberian in Paris), adds something magical to their run, which has seen them face each other in the last three major finals of 2024, the first couple to challenge each other three times for the title in a Slam in the same year since 1964.
“Rafa”, indeed, is the man to beat when it comes to precociousness, having completed the career Grand Slam in just 26 appearances in the main draws of the majors. Sinner, even if he were to succeed at Roland Garros, would already be in his 27th career main draw, while Alcaraz would significantly lower the threshold to 20.
Among other things, Nadal also holds the record – in the Open Era – for the fewest number of Slams played between his first success and the one with which he achieved the Career Grand Slam. In fact, between the 2005 Roland Garros and the 2010 US Open, he played 21 major tournaments, a number that the two young challengers can both beat. With the Australian Open in his pocket, Alcaraz would bring this number to 13, but Sinner could prove to be even faster: the blue, after all, won the first Slam in Australia in 2024, and would halve Nadal’s record with a time gap of 10 Slams played to forcefully enter history.
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