On a cool and windy evening in Melbourne, history was made in men’s tennis. Going 7-1 in his major finals appearances, 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest player ever to complete the Career Slam, winning his first Australian Open title against the great Novak Djokovic, 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 7–5. (The win marked the Spaniard’s seventh major title overall.) Fittingly, his countryman Rafael Nadal—who completed his own career Grand Slam at 24 in 2010, when he beat Djokovic at that year’s US Open—was in the stands at Margaret Court Arena on Sunday, looking on during the final.
The match between Alcaraz and Djokovic followed striking semifinal showcases from both competitors. While, on Thursday, Alcaraz faced down Alexander Zverev in five grueling sets (including three tiebreaks), on Friday, Djokovic pulled off a jaw-dropping upset over Jannik Sinner after walkovers in both the fourth round and the quarterfinals.
Had things gone differently on Sunday, Djokovic would have become the first player to win 25 major singles titles—in the Open Era or otherwise—as well as the oldest player to win a Grand Slam. As things were, however, the match actually marked Djokovic’s first loss in an Australian Open final. (Before today, he was 10 for 10, with his last appearance coming in 2023 against Stefanos Tsitsipas.)
The match got off to a promising start for the 38-year-old Serbian, who was hitting big and moving well through the early rallies. (Going into the match, Djokovic boasted a 15–4 record when winning the first set.) But the cool conditions—it was around 60º in Melbourne—combined with bad blisters and Alcaraz’s nonpareil shot variety, put him behind over the next two sets. Even after an impressive start to the fourth set, battling off a string of break points and finding answers to Alcaraz’s big serve and tricky drop shots, Djokovic was ultimately overpowered. But, ever the sportsman, he headed across the court to embrace Alcaraz after championship point.
Djokovic’s graciousness continued into his post-match remarks. “Congratulations, Carlos. Amazing tournament, amazing couple of weeks—to your coach, to your family, to your team. What you’ve been doing is—I think the best word to describe it is historic, legendary,” he said. Then, after thanking his own team (“it hasn’t been smooth sailing, as it never is…but this success is your success”), and sparing a moment for Nadal (whom he noted it was “weird” to see up in the stands rather than across the net), Djokovic acknowledged the very voluble fans at the “Happy Slam”—and the open question of whether he could possibly appear in Melbourne again as a competitor—saying, “God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in the next six months or 12 months. So it has been a great ride. I love you guys.”
In his own speech, Alcaraz celebrated Djokovic’s top-flight effort and athleticism, saying, “He deserves an ovation for sure. You talk about how I’m doing amazing things, but what you’re doing is inspiring—not just for tennis players, but for athletes around the world and for me as well.
“You put in hard work every day with your team, and I enjoy watching you play, and it’s been an honor sharing the locker room and the court with you. Thank you for what you’re doing, because it’s really inspiring to me.”
Alcaraz then honored his own team’s Herculean effort going into Australia; it was only weeks ago that he announced his split from longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. “We just did the right work—you pushed me every day to do the right things—and I’m really grateful for everyone in my corner. This trophy is also yours.”
