Carlos Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic in an exciting Australian Open final to become the youngest man ever to complete a career Grand Slam.
The 22-year-old Spaniard won 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in Melbourne and collapsed to the court in celebration after the final point. Djokovic quickly showed his class by crossing the net to congratulate Alcaraz on his historic achievement.
The defeat ended Djokovic’s latest attempt to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. After the match, the 38-year-old admitted he was unsure if he would return to play again in Melbourne.
Alcaraz recovered after a slow start, finding his rhythm and outlasting the 10-time Australian Open champion to claim his seventh major title. He is now only the ninth man in history to win all four Grand Slams and the first to do so since Djokovic in 2016.
The win also means Djokovic remains tied with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles. Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have now dominated men’s tennis, winning the last nine major tournaments between them.
Despite the loss, Djokovic praised Alcaraz, calling his achievements “historic” and predicting many more battles between them in the years ahead.
