Carlos Alcaraz secured a landmark victory in men’s tennis on Sunday by defeating Novak Djokovic in the final of the 2026 Australian Open, completing a career Grand Slam and cementing his status among the sport’s all-time greats. The 22-year-old Spaniard produced a comeback performance at Melbourne Park, recovering from a set down to defeat the 38-year-old Serbian champion 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to claim his first Australian Open men’s singles title.
The victory marked Alcaraz’s seventh Grand Slam title, a milestone that places him level with tennis legends John McEnroe and Mats Wilander in the historical rankings of major tournament champions. With this triumph, Alcaraz became the youngest male player in the Open Era to complete a career Grand Slam, achieving the feat at the age of 22 years and 272 days and surpassing the long-standing record previously held by Don Budge.
A career Grand Slam is defined as winning all four major tennis tournaments, the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, over the course of a player’s career. Alcaraz now joins an exclusive list of men who have accomplished this rare feat, including Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. His achievement underscores a generational shift in men’s tennis, with younger players increasingly challenging and surpassing the established dominance of the sport’s historic champions. 
The match itself was widely regarded as a clash between eras. Djokovic, who has dominated men’s tennis for nearly two decades, entered the final seeking to add another major title to his record-breaking collection. Alcaraz, widely viewed as the leading figure of the post Big Three generation, arrived in Melbourne as world number one and as one of the favourites to win the tournament. Despite dropping the opening set, Alcaraz raised his level, using aggressive baseline play, precise shot placement, and improved serving to turn the match in his favour.
The final also carried significant narrative weight due to the rivalry between the two players. With this victory, Alcaraz levelled their head-to-head record at five wins apiece. The Spaniard has been praised for his athleticism, mental resilience, and tactical maturity, attributes that have enabled him to challenge more experienced opponents at a remarkably young age.
Alcaraz earned approximately 2.79 million dollars in prize money for winning the Australian Open, capping a tournament run that reinforced his dominance on hard courts. The win also extended his reputation as the first men’s player under the age of 23 to win seven Grand Slam titles, a benchmark that Djokovic himself did not reach until he was 27, highlighting the accelerated trajectory of Alcaraz’s career.
Djokovic, meanwhile, remained magnanimous in defeat, acknowledging his opponent’s quality and the changing landscape of men’s tennis. At 38, the Serbian star continues to compete at the highest level, demonstrating remarkable longevity and consistency.
Samuel Aina