Carlos Alcaraz off-season update: Spaniard kicks off training as hunt for maiden Australian Open title begins

Carlos Alcaraz had a massive 2024 season. But the Spaniard wants an even better 2025 season, and the work toward that goal began today in Murcia. Alcaraz didn't finish last year as the best player in the world because that honor fell upon Jannik Sinner, who had a historic year losing only six matches all year long.

Three of those came against Alcaraz, who looked like the only player who could seriously challenge the Italian but only on occasion. The Italian outplayed him quite a bit in 2024 and the Spaniard wants revenge for that in 2025. Taking a step towards that goal, he started preseason today in Murcia with all the familiar faces assembled there.

In videos that appeared on social media, Carlos Alcaraz was seen in the gym as well as near courts in Murcia where he lives. His coach Juan Carlos Ferrero was also present along with some other team members.

There isn't an official offseason schedule available for Alcaraz, though it is known that he won't be playing at the 2024 World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi. He's not on the roster for this year, so he might complete his preseason in Spain and then make his way to Australia, which has generally been the way he's done it so far.

Carlos Alcaraz hard at work in busy off-season

Carlos Alcaraz during his Charlotte Invitational 2024 match against Frances Tiafoe - Source: Getty

While his official preseason might have begun today, Carlos Alcaraz has been quite busy since the ATP Finals. The Spaniard was on the courts not too long ago with the two exhibition matches that he played in the United States.

The first one was a blockbuster exhibition match against Ben Shelton in the world-famous Madison Square Garden, which doesn't usually host tennis matches but was repurposed for this occasion. That proved to be a massive success with packed stands, but it wasn't the only exhibition match Alcaraz played this year in the States.

He also traveled to Charlotte not long after that, to take on Frances Tiafoe in the Charlotte Invitational, which was part of a broader initiative to promote tennis on the grassroots level. Seeing a tennis superstar take part in such an effort was great to see, but exhibitions in general aren't anything new for Carlos Alcaraz, even in the offseason.

He famously played in one last year in Mexico against Tommy Paul. It seems like playing an American in an exhibition match during the offseason is becoming a bit of a tradition for Alcaraz. He has also played in other exhibitions like the Six Kings Slam.