Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic to win the Australian Open men’s singles title, becoming the youngest male player to complete a career Grand Slam. The 22-year-old Spaniard has now won all four major tournaments.
Australian Open Final : Carlos and Novak (image credits : X)
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic to win the Australian Open men’s singles title, becoming the youngest male player to complete a career Grand Slam. The 22-year-old Spaniard has now won all four major tournaments. He has claimed seven Grand Slam titles in total, with two each at Wimbledon, the French Open, and the US Open, and his first title at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Djokovic, aged 38, was hoping to end the dominance of the younger players and make history of his own. He was aiming to become the oldest men’s Grand Slam winner in the Open era and to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. That record is still held jointly by Djokovic and Margaret Court, who both have 24 major titles. Ken Rosewall remains the oldest men’s Grand Slam champion, having won the Australian Open in 1972 at the age of 37.
Carlos Alcaraz has won his first ever Australian Open title, and the youngest ever male to win all four majors! #AusOpen #AustralianOpen2026 #AO26 pic.twitter.com/6LCIytJdsu
— ° (@SimplyARMAAN) February 1, 2026
Alcaraz won the final in four sets, beating Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. This victory continues the recent dominance of Alcaraz and his Italian rival Jannik Sinner in men’s tennis. Between them, they have now won the last nine Grand Slam tournaments. The last player outside of these two to win a men’s Grand Slam was Djokovic, who won the US Open in September 2023.By defeating Djokovic, a ten-time Australian Open champion, Alcaraz strengthened his position as the world number one in men’s singles tennis. He now leads the ATP rankings, with Sinner in second place. Alcaraz is also the ninth male player in history to win all four Grand Slam titles.
Novak Djokovic is the greatest tennis player ever.
— 𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐫 🔥 (@AbidNaeem_7701) January 30, 2026
This is not up for debate. #AustralianOpen2026 #Djokovic #DjokovicSinner pic.twitter.com/PH2CWi9tmM
Novak Djokovic on Carlos Alcaraz and the Australian Open final:
“First of all, congratulations to Carlos. It’s been an amazing tournament and couple of weeks for you and your team. What you’re doing is historic and legendary, and I wish you the very best for the rest of your career.
You’re still so young and have so much time ahead of you. I’m sure we’ll see each other many more times over the next 10 years,” Djokovic said with a smile.
“I want to thank my team for standing by me and supporting me. It hasn’t always been easy, but you are my rock. You’ve seen the worst and the best of me, and this success belongs to you as much as it does to me.
I also want to say a few words to the legendary Rafa, who is here in the stands. It feels strange seeing you there and not on the court. It has been an honour to share the court with you over the years, and thank you for being here.
There were too many Spanish legends tonight—it felt like two against one, which wasn’t fair, but that’s okay,” he joked.
“I had both a winning speech and a losing speech prepared, so give me a moment to switch,” he added with a laugh.
“But jokes aside, this moment belongs to Carlos. The support you’ve given me, especially in the last few matches, is something I’ve never experienced before in Australia, and it has been truly special.
This is my 22nd year coming to Australia. I’ve always believed in myself, which you need to do when you’re playing incredible players like Carlos and Sinner.
I honestly didn’t think I would be standing on a Grand Slam final podium again, so I’m very grateful for these last few weeks.
God knows what happens tomorrow, or in six months or a year. But it’s been a great journey, and I love you all.”
Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open trophy presentation:
“First of all, I want to speak about Novak. What you are doing is truly inspiring—not just for tennis players, but for athletes around the world, and especially for me.
The hard work you put in every day with your team is something I really admire. I enjoy watching you play so much, and it has been an honour to share the court with you. Thank you for everything you do, because it inspires me greatly.
I also want to thank my team. People don’t know how hard we’ve worked to win this trophy. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, but you pushed me every day to do the right things. I’m very grateful to all of you—this trophy belongs to you as much as it does to me.
It feels a little strange to see Rafa in the stands. It’s the first time in a long while, and it’s such an honour to play in front of you. We’ve had great battles on court, and sharing the court with you has always been special. Thank you so much for being here.
I want to thank everyone who made this tournament possible. It’s an incredible event for the players, and it’s always an honour to play here in Melbourne.
And finally, thank you to the fans for pushing me through the tough moments during the matches. I can’t wait to come back next year. Thank you.”
