Young Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz has made an emphatic statement by storming into his first Australian Open quarter-final.
Second seed Alcaraz demolished Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4 6-4 6-0 in a one-sided fourth-round match in the prime-time slot on Rod Laver Arena on Monday night.
After failing to make it past the third round in his previous trips to Melbourne Park, the 20-year-old has shown he is a definite contender on all surfaces.
"Everything," Alcaraz quipped when asked what went right against Kecmanovic.
"I did everything almost perfectly.
"It was pretty good match, but I push him to the limit in every ball, every point and he has played a lot of tough matches before this one, so physically he wasn't at 100 per cent.
"It's a pleasure to play here in Rod Laver, it's an amazing court and a very beautiful one."
Already a two-time grand slam champion after winning the 2022 US Open and last year's Wimbledon title, Alcaraz looms as a genuine threat to Novak Djokovic's bid to win a record-breaking 25th major.
Alcaraz is on track to meet Djokovic in a dream final between the future of tennis and an already established legend.
But first Alcaraz will have to take care of German sixth seed Alexander Zverev, who survived a five-set epic against Cameron Norrie to progress to his third quarter-final at Melbourne Park.
"Playing at this level I will have my chances ... (Zverev) has played tough matches as well, five sets, tiebreakers in the fifth set, so it's going to be tough for him," Alcaraz said.
"I love playing against Sasha (Zverev), we bring a high level of tennis, and for the crowd it's a great match."
