Australian Open: Alcaraz beats Djokovic in final to complete career Grand Slam

Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz Garfia produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Novak Djokovic and claim his maiden Australian Open men’s singles title at Melbourne Park on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Spaniard defied the odds against the 38-year-old Serbian great, recovering from a set down to win 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 7–5 and lift the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

The victory is Alcaraz’s seventh Grand Slam title, drawing him level with John McEnroe and Mats Wilander in the all-time lists.

In doing so, the world No. 1 became the youngest male player in the Open Era (22 years, 272 days) to complete a career Grand Slam (winning all four majors), shattering the 88-year-old record previously held by Don Budge (22 years, 363 days).

Alcaraz also became the ninth man to complete the career Grand Slam, joining an elite list that includes Fred Perry (1935), Don Budge (1938), Roy Emerson (1964), Rod Laver (1962), Andre Agassi (1999), Roger Federer (2009), Rafael Nadal (2010), and Novak Djokovic (2016).

Nicknamed “Carlitos”, Alcaraz is now the first men’s player under 23 to win seven Grand Slam titles — a feat Djokovic did not achieve until the age of 27. The win also levelled their head-to-head rivalry at 5–5.

For his triumph in Melbourne, Alcaraz took home $2.79 million in prize money, capping off a historic night in his rapidly growing legacy. Thecable