Iga Świątek and Carlos Alcaraz open 2026 on the brink of tennis history. Each owns six Grand Slam titles and is one major away from completing a career Grand Slam, one of the sport’s rarest feats. While competing at the United Cup in Sydney, Świątek was asked about pursuing that milestone and shared her thoughts on the challenge ahead.
Iga Świątek on Her and Carlos Alcaraz’s Career Grand Slam
Team Poland arrived at the 2026 United Cup with considerable optimism ahead of the mixed team event in Sydney. The Polish squad, led by captain Mateusz Terczynski, brought a roster capable of competing at the highest levels of international tennis. Terczynski expressed his confidence during the team presentation, stating, “We’re going to be ready for Monday” as Poland prepared for the Group F competition.
During the formal Team Poland press conference, reporters posed a question that captured the broader narrative surrounding several top players heading into 2026. It centered on whether Świątek’s primary focus was pursuing the World No. 1 ranking or attempting to win the Australian Open to complete her career Grand Slam. Świątek’s response was notably straightforward and measured in its optimism.
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“Of course, we have a chance. Everybody has,” she said when asked about her and Carlos Alcaraz’s prospects for capturing her first Australian Open title.
Her comment demonstrated realistic confidence without overstatement. Świątek acknowledged that the tournament presents opportunities for all, rather than offering any certainty or elaborate predictions. The remark reflected her characteristic approach to major competitions: focusing on execution and remaining grounded despite the historic significance of what awaits her at the Australian Open.
The Missing Piece in Świątek and Alcaraz’s Grand Slam Trophy Cabinet
Świątek has constructed an impressive Grand Slam record consisting of six major titles earned across three different surfaces. She has won the French Open on four occasions, capturing the clay-court championship in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. She added the US Open in 2022 on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows. Most recently, in July 2025, Świątek dominated Wimbledon by defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final. The Australian Open remains the sole Grand Slam tournament where she has not claimed victory, despite reaching the semifinals at the 2025 edition.
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Alcaraz occupies nearly an identical position in his pursuit of a career Grand Slam. The Spanish player has also claimed six major championships. He won the French Open twice, securing victories in 2024 and again in 2025 after a grueling five-set final against Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz captured Wimbledon in both 2023 and 2024, and claimed the US Open in 2022 and 2025.
Like Świątek, the Australian Open represents his missing major, with his best Australian Open performance being a quarterfinal appearance in both 2024, where he lost to Alexander Zverev, and 2025, when Novak Djokovic defeated him in the quarterfinals.
At the United Cup in Sydney, Świątek will face Eva Lys of Germany on Jan. 5, as part of Poland’s Group F matches against Germany. Lys, currently ranked 40th on the WTA Tour, competes as a member of the German delegation at the team event. This matchup provides Świątek with valuable hard-court competition before the Australian Open begins later in the month.
