Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz plans to leave Australia with a permanent memory, but there is a big condition behind his promise to get a kangaroo tattoo.
The Spanish tennis prodigy has quickly risen to fame, becoming the youngest player to reach world number 1 in the ATP rankings after his victory at the US Open in 2022.
He had already claimed multiple ATP titles, including Grand Slam and Masters 1000 tournaments, by the age of 20.
Alcaraz is widely regarded as the future of men's tennis and a strong contender for more major championships, including the Australian Open.
He has now promised to get a kangaroo tattoo after his time at the 2025 Australian Open, but only if he lifts the trophy at the end of the second week.
'It's a kangaroo, that's for sure. “That's my idea,” he said of the tattoo.
Carlos Alcaraz has already won Wimbledon, the US Open and the French Open
It has ink to commemorate his Grand Slam victories, including the Eiffel Tower for his French Open triumph.
“The only thing I miss is lifting the trophy here, but the plan is already made.”
There is little doubt that Alcaraz keeps his promise. He already has a strawberry for his two Wimbledon crowns, a tattoo of the Eiffel Tower for his success at the French Open and he also has the date of his victory at the US Open tattooed on his skin.
But there's one major obstacle between Alcaraz and an Australian Open title… and a kangaroo tattoo. And his name is Novak Djokovic.
It seems inevitable, but Djokovic and Alcaraz say it is too early to ensure a successful Australian Open quarter-final match between tennis titans.
Djokovic and Alcaraz are each a tantalizing victory away from setting up Tuesday night's show after advancing into week two at Melbourne Park.
But the Grand Slam giants know that two pesky, in-form opponents stand between them renewing their rivalry, which spawned the classic Olympic finals at Wimbledon and Paris last year.
Seeking an 11th Open crown and a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, Djokovic must first end 24th seed Jiri Lehecka's unbeaten summer streak on Sunday.
Like Djokovic, Lehecka is thriving playing in Australia, adding the Brisbane International trophy to the only ATP title he won in Adelaide last year.
Alcaraz has now vowed to get a kangaroo tattoo if he can win the Australian Open this year.
Between Alcaraz and his tattoo stands Novak Djokovic, who has enjoyed the wood over the young Spaniard in recent years.
The 23-year-old continued his strong start to 2025 in Melbourne, losing just one set in three matches so far.
Djokovic knows he may have a battle on his hands, even after putting in his best performance of the tournament by defeating Lehecka's compatriot Tomas Machac for the loss of just nine games in the third round.
“Lehecka has won Brisbane and is in very good form, comfortably winning his first three rounds here,” said the seventh-seeded Serbian.
“I can expect another aggressive player who plays very flat, similar to what I experienced (against Machac) and I hope the result is the same.
I think there are some similarities between him and Machac.
'The setbacks of the Czech tennis school are fantastic. I mean, backhands so solid.
'Lehecka is one of the fittest guys on the circuit and his serve is underrated. It's a big gun. Earn lots of free points on the first serve.
'The more matches you win, the more confidence you will have, so I'm sure this type of matchup comes at the right time for him. I'm sure he feels he can beat me.'
Standing in Alcaraz's path to reaching the quarter-finals (and potentially becoming the youngest man to complete a grand slam in Melbourne) is tenacious Englishman Jack Draper.
The 15th seed has achieved three epic victories from two sets to one down to reach the round of 16.
He has broken the hearts of Australians with back-to-back wins over Thanasi Kokkinakis and Aleksandar Vukic.
And Alcraz knows Draper and the threat he represents well.
'I know he is a really difficult player. He has a great level. “We had plans to train together in the preseason,” said the Spanish third seed.
“He was going to come to the academy but in the end he couldn't do it because he was a little injured.”
'But we have a good relationship off the pitch. We practiced a few times. I'm pretty sure we'll train either in the next preseason in Alicante or in London, whatever.
'He's a good guy. We will see against him the next round.”