Carlos Alcaraz will be looking to build upon his excellent 2025 season when he competes on the ATP Tour next year.
The Spaniard won eight ATP Tour titles in 2025, including two Grand Slams – the French Open and US Open.
Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have become the dominant forces on the Tour over the past two years, winning all eight Grand Slam tournaments combined.
The 22-year-old, who has spent 50 weeks holding the world number one spot, also won Masters 1000 events in Monte-Carlo, Rome and Cincinnati, and ATP 500 events in Rotterdam and Tokyo.
Carlos Alcaraz WILL complete the Career Grand Slam before Jannik Sinner – discuss…
On Tuesday, the Spaniard’s participation in a tournament he did not win in 2025 was confirmed.
Carlos Alcaraz will play in the Barcelona Open
Alcaraz is set to return to Catalunya next year to take part in the Barcelona Open, as confirmed by the tournament.
The Spaniard will hope to go one better at the ATP 500 event than he did in 2025 – the world number one was defeated by Holger Rune in the final.
Alcaraz has won the tournament twice before, in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, Alcaraz defeated fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the final.
A year later, Alcaraz repeated the feat, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas to claim the crown.
Alcaraz did not play in the 2024 edition, before – as mentioned previously – reaching the final in 2025.
After losing the 2025 final to Rune, Alcaraz said: “Losing is never easy, even less so in a final here. But I have to give credit to Holger, he played an exceptional match, very well organised. He knew what he had to do at all times.”
Speaking about his return to the tournament in 2026, Alcaraz told the Barcelona Open: “I’m very excited to be back in Barcelona and fight for my third title.
“It’s a very special tournament for me, with a lot of history, and it’s played on courts I have known very well since I was a child. Also, having all the support from the fans in the stands makes it even more moving.”
What did Alcaraz say after winning his first Barcelona Open title?
“I couldn’t have finished the tournament in a better way,” the Spaniard said after defeating Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-2.
“I wasn’t that tired after the semi-final. I had less recovery time, but I took it as a challenge to come out stronger in the final.
“To recover I did a bit of cycling, I ate and I took a little nap to be ready.
“In the semi-final I always thought it was possible to come back. Thanks to my perseverance I was able to improve and find my level.
What would have happened if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played at the same time as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal?
“The competitive and winning gene that I have comes from my family. They have always insisted on it and I think that you always have to go for it. I always think of giving everything and that is what I have done today.
“I don’t have any limits, I don’t want to set any. I want to continue playing at the level I have and I think that if I continue like this I have many options to continue climbing.
“I want to continue enjoying myself on the court, I still don’t want to touch the ceiling.
“I’ve always been a normal boy. Fame doesn’t scare me, I’m going to continue being the same as always, I’m not going to change the person I am. I’m glad to know that at 18 I’m in the top 10, and to do it on the same date that my idol Rafa did it is impressive.”
Carreno Busta admitted the contest had been a tough one, saying: “It wasn’t the match I expected. Carlos was playing a very aggressive game and he was very effective. It was very difficult play against him.”
It was Alcaraz’s third title of 2022 following successes in Miami and Rio de Janeiro. He went on to win the Madrid Open and US Open later that year.
