Carlos Alcaraz has revealed that winning his first Australian Open is his top priority for 2026, even above defending his French Open and US Open titles, a day after clinching the year-end world number one ranking at the ATP Finals.

Speaking late Friday on Spanish sports radio show El Partidazo de Cope, the 22-year-old said lifting the trophy at Melbourne Park has become a personal goal, noting that his best results at the season’s first Grand Slam so far have been quarter-finals in 2024 and 2025.

“In 2026, I’d rather win Australia alone than win two repeated Grand Slams,” Alcaraz said.

He also tempered expectations about his current standing, acknowledging that despite being world number one, he is far from the best player in the sport.

“I’m far from being the best player in tennis or overall, because there are still many players who can beat me and I’ve lost to many players. I’m not the best, despite the ranking showing that I am.”

Alcaraz fell to Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a thrilling quarter-final on Rod Laver Arena. Djokovic, who retired injured in the semis, will remain a contender for a record 25th Grand Slam and an 11th Australian Open in January.

The Spaniard also outlined his long-term ambition of surpassing Djokovic’s men’s Grand Slam record.

“I’d sign for 23 Grand Slams without thinking twice, right now. I want to be the one who wins the most, I want to surpass Djokovic, but 23? That’s no joke,” he said.

“That’s a goal for the end of my career: to see that I can sit at that table with Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, and Djokovic, and that people also think I deserve to sit at their table at the end of my career.”

Alcaraz, who previously finished 2022 as world number one, has enjoyed the best season of his career, reaching three Grand Slam finals. He defeated Jannik Sinner to claim both the French Open and US Open titles, while losing to Sinner in the Wimbledon final.

He remains on track for his first ATP Finals crown, with a semi-final showdown against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime scheduled for Saturday.