Carlos Alcaraz Wins Australian Open, Becomes Youngest Man to Complete Career Grand Slam

History. Carlos Alcaraz has done it. Defeated Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in the Australian Open final at Melbourne Park. The youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam. At 22 years, 8 months, and 27 days old, the Spaniard now holds all four major titles. Seventh Grand Slam crown. His first on the hard courts of Melbourne.

A Final for the Ages

The final, held on February 1 as the climax to a tournament that began on January 18, delivered the kind of drama that only the sport’s biggest occasions can produce. Djokovic stormed through the opening set 6-2, imposing his will with the kind of ruthless efficiency that has defined his record 10-0 unbeaten run in Australian Open finals.

But Alcaraz responded magnificently. The second and third sets belonged entirely to the Spaniard, who found his range from the baseline and began dictating rallies with his explosive forehand. Taking the second set 6-2 and the third 6-3, Alcaraz had turned the final on its head.

The fourth set was the most gripping of all. Djokovic fought desperately to extend the match to a decider, but Alcaraz held his nerve in the most pressurised moments, converting his opportunities when they mattered most. A 7-5 scoreline in the fourth brought the contest to a close and confirmed Alcaraz as the champion.

Ending Djokovic’s Perfect Record

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Alcaraz’s achievement was that it came at the expense of Djokovic’s flawless Australian Open finals record. The Serbian had won all 10 of his previous finals at Melbourne Park, a streak of dominance unmatched in the tournament’s history. Alcaraz became the first man to beat him at the final hurdle in Melbourne.

Djokovic had looked in superb form en route to the final, defeating defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals. Sinner’s exit at the penultimate stage denied fans a repeat of recent rivalry, but it underlined the depth of quality in the men’s draw.

Tournament Highlights

The 2026 Australian Open produced several memorable storylines beyond the final. Alcaraz’s semi-final victory over Alexander Zverev lasted a staggering 5 hours and 27 minutes, the longest semi-final in Australian Open history. The marathon match tested every ounce of Alcaraz’s physical and mental reserves, making his performance in the final just two days later all the more impressive.

Elsewhere in the draw, American teenager Learner Tien became the youngest man to reach the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park since Nick Kyrgios in 2015, a run that announced him as a genuine future contender on the biggest stages.

In the men’s doubles final, Neal Skupski and Jack Harrison claimed the title with a 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over Australians Jason Kubler and Matthew Polmans, denying the home crowd a fairy-tale finish in the doubles event.

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LF — Breaking news correspondent, australiafootball.com