After the electric comebacks, the magical shot-making, and the passion, belief and smile that had defined his remarkable ascent, this was the moment where Carlos Alcaraz took the step from generational talent to standing alone in the pantheon of the greatest tennis players of all time. As Novak Djokovic sensed his opportunity to make history, Alcaraz wrote his own: by winning his first Australian Open title, overturning Djokovic to win 2-6 6-2 6-3 7-5 and under enormous pressure, Alcaraz becomes the youngest man of all time to complete the career grand slam at 22 years and 272 days.
He joins the illustrious list of Don Budge, Fred Perry, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic to win all four major titles, doing so faster than anyone else. He is more than a year younger than his Nadal was when he set the Open-era record at 2010 US Open at the age of 24. Fittingly, Nadal had a front-row seat at the Rod Laver Arena as Alcaraz continued to walk in his compatriot’s footsteps, while also breaking new ground. ”Nobody knows how how hard I’ve been working, to get this trophy, to chase this moment,” the Spaniard said.
It was Djokovic who perhaps summed up Alcaraz’s achievement best: “What you’ve been doing, I think the best word to describe it is historic, legendary, so congratulations and I wish you the best of luck for the rest of your career. I mean, you’re so young, you have a lot of time, like myself! So I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other many more times in the next 10 years.”
But in doing so, Alcaraz denied Djokovic his own career-defining record. One way or another, history was guaranteed in a seismic final, as Djokovic attempted to claim the standalone tally of 25 grand slam singles titles and become the oldest grand slam champion of all time at the age of 38. Not for the first time, the Serbian was suppressed by Alcaraz, who defeated the greatest of all time for a third time in a grand slam final and snapped his perfect record of 10 Australian Open finals without defeat.
After his epic effort to beat Jannik Sinner on Friday, Djokovic faded physically after making a blistering start to the final. But, as he closed in on the finish line, Alcaraz was faced to withstand a late charge from Djokovic as he forced break points late in the fourth set. Throughout his young career, though, it has been in those moments where Alcaraz rises highest. It took a massive effort to get over the line, but after falling to his back when Djokovic fired his final forehand long, Alcaraz broke into the widest of smiles.
Before the final, the world No 1 made it perfectly clear how important the Australian Open and completing the career grand slam was to him; Alcaraz even said he would trade winning the three other grand slam titles this season for a first Australian Open. And yet, Alcaraz arrived at his most important tournament of the year having split from his long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero during the off-season. “It was a little bit rollercoaster, emotionally, what we went through,” Alcaraz said as he thanked his corner for helping him block out the noise. He still leaves Melbourne having achieved his biggest goal. “Job finished. 4/4 completed,” he wrote.
Both men faced a huge test to recover for the final after coming through marathon semi-finals. Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev in five hours and 27 minutes in the third-longest Australian Open match of all time, before Djokovic produced one of his greatest ever performances to end Sinner’s dominant run across five sets and four hours and nine minutes. As the match finished well after midnight in Melbourne, Djokovic did not go to bed until 6am on Saturday morning and neither men trained on the day before the final as they attempted to recover. “I think he deserves an ovation,” Alcaraz said.
With 15 years and 348 days between them, Djokovic said the younger man would have the advantage in the attempt to find fresh legs, but it was the elder who came flying out of the blocks. Producing a brilliant level of precise serving and replicating the huge forehand strike that was so effective in beating Sinner from the baseline in the semi-finals, Djokovic played an outstanding first set and made just four unforced errors in a 39-minute opener. The second set brought a complete reverse, however, as Djokovic’s level of serving dipped and Alcaraz won the majority of baseline points.
With the conditions in Melbourne cold and windy, the final began under a partially shut roof on Rod Laver Arena. Before the start of the third set, with the chance of rain forecast, the roof closed further, with Alcaraz complaining to the tournament referee. But, with the elements becoming less of a factor, Alcaraz delivered a magical moment to defy Djokovic when the 38-year struck a backhand winner around the net-post. Alcaraz salvaged a forehand from the baseline and, in an electric charge, broke Djokovic for a second time to move one set away from history.
Faced with another comeback, Djokovic called the trainer before the start of the fourth. But in an almighty effort and across a 12-minute service game, he saved six break points to stay alive. He found more precise serving when he desperately needed it as Alcaraz led 4-3, 0-30 in the fourth. Djokovic held again, then raised the temperature of the final and brought his supporters to their feet by setting up break point. Suddenly, as the weight of history became clear, Alcaraz withstood him, as Djokovic missed a second-serve return.
After Alcaraz held to move 6-5 ahead, the Spaniard produced the finishing blow by winning a 24-shot rally with some of his finest ball-striking of the match. It seemed to break Djokovic, as he attempted to reach the tiebreak and extend his fight. Two errors in a row from Djokovic brought match point, and a further forehand error sealed Alcaraz’s place in tennis history.
