Preparing with the best in the business: Davis Cup champion set to complete pre-season training with Carlos Alcaraz

The best players in the world are starting to set their sights on a decorated 2026 campaign filled with joy and progress. To do this and be one step of the field, they need to get their body's in the perfect shape, thus starting the preparation. World number one Carlos Alcaraz is set to begin this after some time away from the court, and will have some company.

He will be teaming up with Davis Cup hero Flavio Cobolli, a good friend of his. Cobolli's season ended slightly later than Alcaraz's due to his involvement in the Davis Cup Finals. Alcaraz was supposed to be there but had to pull out due to a minor injury, not wanting to take the unnecessary risk. While it would not prove to be a big miss for Spain as they reached the final, his services could have been vital against the reigning two-time champions Italy, who completed an imperious three-peat on home turf. Cobolli found himself against talented Spanish man Jaume Munar for the title, with the Spaniard looking to keep his nation in the event. After a dominant first set from Munar, Cobolli clawed his way back into it and showcased his composure to see the match out.

The 23-year-old is likely to still be buzzing from this extraordinary achievement he and his country have completed. However, they cannot live in the past forever. Cobolli has been very clear about his ambitions next year. He stated, "to break into the top 10." This feat is very much possible with some positive results and a consistent year regularly getting deep into big events while capitalising on others misfortune. His highlights last year were a quarter-final at Wimbledon and his first two ATP Tour titles coming in the clay swing. He rose to a career high of 17 in the world in mid-July but culminated the year as the world number 22 as his progression in the sport continues.

There is not better player to test your skills against than Alcaraz. The six-time Grand Slam champion has just come off another outstanding season where he has won eight titles, two of them Grand Slams, and snatched back the world number one ranking from his arch-rival Jannik Sinner. He holds similar hopes in 2026 not just to retain the ranking, but wipe the floor with everyone he comes up against.

He has enjoyed some time off over in the USA. He will be stepping back onto the court in a brace of exhibition clashes on the 7th and 8th December. The first one comes at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, for the first instalment of A Racquet at The Rock. He will come up against Frances Tiafoe before making the trip down to Florida to face off against Joao Fonseca in a highly anticipated clash in the Miami Invitational. Miami is a place the 22-yera-old is fond of having won his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open.

After that, he will make the trip back to Europe, starting his prep on the 13th December. It will be very intense, beginning with a week of physical training closely followed by on-court practice. It will go on for a total of 25 days before he heads out to South Korea to compete in an exhibition on the 10th January alongside Sinner. While many players are competing in Tour events in Oceania ahead of the Australian Open, Alcaraz is taking a different route into the first Grand Slam of the year. Cobolli will prove good company in this time away from the spotlights before once again emerging into it as a new season dawns on us.