Alcaraz beats Djokovic to win Australian Open; completes career Slam

Alcaraz becomes the youngest antheral to implicit the Career Grand Slam and triumph 7 Slams with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 triumph.

Carlos Alcaraz has re-written tennis past by becoming the youngest antheral to implicit the Career Grand Slam with his triumph implicit the large Novak Djokovic successful the last of the Australian Open 2026 successful Melbourne.

Alcaraz, 22, overcame a first-set nonaccomplishment to implicit a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 triumph implicit the 24-time Grand Slam champion connected Rod Laver Arena connected Sunday and, successful the process, denied the 38-year-old a accidental to go the lone subordinate with 25 Slam titles.

While the satellite fig 1 aboriginal admitted his “legs were shaking” arsenic helium served for the title, helium seemed to person the precocious manus arsenic the lucifer wore connected and finished aft 3 hours and 2 minutes.

The apical effect present has an Australian Open trophy to adhd to his 2 French Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles each, besides making him the youngest to 7 Slams.

Djokovic, a 10-time champion successful Australia, was the quicker of the 2 retired of the blocks and broke his younger rival doubly to swiftly assertion the opening set.

The Spaniard didn’t discarded clip successful pulling backmost and claiming the 2nd acceptable with the aforesaid scoreline successful a show of speed, powerfulness and finesse.

In breaking the Career Slam record, Alcaraz surpassed his idol and compatriot Rafael Nadal – who watched connected from the stands – who was 2 years older erstwhile helium did the same.

And his seventh Slam enactment him alongside John McEnroe and Mats Wilander and 1 down Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.

It was a archetypal decision for Djokovic successful a Melbourne final, having won each 10 previously, leaving him inactive searching for a landmark 25th large to amended Australia’s Margaret Court, who was besides watching on.

Both men battled done 5 agelong sets successful their semifinals, Alcaraz against Alexander Zverev and Djokovic with Jannik Sinner, and betterment was ever going to beryllium cardinal aft their carnal struggles.

But they showed fewer signs of fatigue successful different gladatorial contest.

They some opened with comfy holds earlier a treble responsibility and netted forehand presented the archetypal interruption constituent accidental for Djokovic astatine 2-1.

Alcaraz saved it, but the assertive 4th effect kept pressing and converted connected his third, past consolidated for a 4-1 lead.

Djokovic was speechmaking Alcaraz’s service good and erstwhile helium got successful the rallies was authoritative, with a sensational forehand victor earning him 2 acceptable points.

He claimed the acceptable successful a connection 33 minutes aft a ninth unforced mistake from the apical seed, having dominated the large moments.

It was vintage Djokovic, but Alcaraz came storming back, upping the tempo to interruption for 2-1 successful the 2nd set, pumping his fist erstwhile helium saved a interruption constituent and held successful the adjacent game.

Djokovic enactment drops to his eyes and began rubbing them, incapable to tame a present rampant Alcaraz who broke again for 5-2.

There were immoderate sensational rallies that had the assemblage connected their feet successful acceptable three, which went with service until Djokovic slapped a forehand wide nether unit to gaffe 2-3 behind.

He gamely saved 4 acceptable points astatine 3-5 but with his vigor levels dropping was incapable to prevention a 5th arsenic the Spaniard took control.

On the backmost foot, Djokovic past saved six interruption points successful an 11-minute opening work crippled successful acceptable 4 to enactment live and kept warring hard.

But Alcaraz crushed him down and pounced arsenic Djokovic served to enactment successful the lucifer to seal a maiden Australian championship.

It ensured helium remained satellite fig 1 and Sinner two, with Djokovic moving up a spot to 3 up of Zverev.

Despite his heartbreaking loss, Djokovic was gracious successful decision arsenic helium walked astir the the nett to congratulate Alcaraz connected his broadside of the court.

Plenty of pats connected the backmost and smiles were exchaned successful a passing-of-the-baton infinitesimal betwixt the 2 tennis icons.

Afterwards, Alcaraz told the big broadcasters that his legs were shaking arsenic helium served for the championship.

“I was telling myself, astatine slightest enactment it [the serve] successful and past let’s spot what happens,” the champion said with a laugh.

The antheral from Murcia, southeastern Spain, said the elusive triumph successful Australia was thing helium had been moving hard for.

“It means the satellite to maine and shows that each the hard enactment paid off,” helium said.