Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam on Sunday the hard way—by defeating 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic for the 2026 title. The 22-year-old top seed prevailed in four sets, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, USA Today reports, to deny the 38-year-old Djokovic a record-extending 25th Grand Slam singles trophy. Their matchup followed grueling five-set semifinal victories—Alcaraz's over Alexander Zverev and Djokovic's over Jannik Sinner—totaling more than 9½ hours. "Nobody knows how hard I've been working to get this trophy," Alcaraz told the crowd during the trophy presentation. "I just appreciate this moment so much."
Alcaraz recovered after dropping the first set, gradually taking control with heavy forehands and frequent drop shots that appeared to exploit his physical edge and aided by a couple of unforced errors by Djokovic. "Tennis can change on just one point. One point, one feeling, one shot can change the whole match completely," Alcaraz said afterward, per the AP. "I played well the first set, but you know, in front of me I had a great and inspired Novak." The match took just over three hours and ended when Alcaraz secured the only service break of the fourth set. Alcaraz now has seven major titles, the most won by any male player before turning 23.
Djokovic's first loss in a final at Melbourne Park cost him what would have been a milestone 25th Grand Slam singles title. Taking questions in the news conference later, he conceded: "You're speaking to me 10 minutes after I lost the final, so of course I'm going to be a little bit bitter about losing. But, again, I lost to a No. 1 in the world and already a legendary player." He gave fans credit for helping him extend his career, saying he hadn't expected to be involved in a Grand Slam closing ceremony again. Djokovic suggest his quest isn't over, per the AP. "But, you know, not enough for me," he said. "I'm going to keep pushing and see if I get another chance."
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