February 01, (THEWILL) — The youngest player in men’s tennis history to complete the Career Slam emerged at the 2026 Australian Open after Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in four sets.
The Spaniard claimed his first major title in Melbourne with victory in the final.
Djokovic dominated the opening set 6-2, dropping just two points on serve and controlling baseline exchanges.
Alcaraz responded emphatically in the second set, producing stunning winners whilst Djokovic’s level dropped, taking the set by an identical 6-2 scoreline.
The third set lasted just under an hour and featured thrilling exchanges between the two champions. Alcaraz broke serve in the fifth game and again in the final game to claim the set 6-3.
Despite appearing exhausted, Djokovic defied expectations in the fourth set, holding serve in the second game after facing six break points whilst trailing 40-15.
Both players maintained their serve until Djokovic double-faulted at 5-6 down, handing Alcaraz two championship points.
The Serb then sent a forehand wide to surrender the title.
Rafael Nadal watched from the crowd as Djokovic’s bid to become the first player to win 25 major titles ended in defeat.
The final had guaranteed historic significance before the first ball was struck.
Match statistics showed Alcaraz’s superior performance across the four sets, confirming his status as the youngest man to win all four Grand Slam tournaments.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
