Carlos Alcaraz has defeated Novak Djokovic to win the Australian Open men’s singles title, becoming the youngest male player to win a career grand slam. The 22-year-old Spaniard has won seven major tournaments: two each at Wimbledon, the French Open and the US Open, now one at Melbourne Park.

Alcaraz’s four-set victory – 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 – makes it nine consecutive men’s grand slam events won by either him or his Italian rival Jannik Sinner: the most recent victor apart from them was Djokovic, who won the US Open in September 2023. By beating the 10-times Australian Open champion, the world No 1 Alcaraz consolidates his place atop the ATP men’s singles rankings ahead of Sinner in second. He is the ninth male player to win all four grand slam events.

At 38 Djokovic was trying to break the dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner while aiming to become the oldest winner of a men’s grand slam in the Open era. Ken Rosewall, who won the Australian Open aged 37 in 1972, keeps that accolade. A 25th career grand slam victory would have put Djokovic out on his own in men’s and women’s tennis, above Margaret Court, who won 24.

Djokovic won the first set with ruthless efficiency, dominating with his serve, after which Alcaraz established himself in the contest with his superior movement, frequently using the drop shot intelligently and combining it with consistently powerful and accurate ball-striking.

Djokovic had broken his opponent in the fourth game of the match, bullying Alcaraz from the baseline, hitting the ball sweetly and wrapping up the first set 6-2 in a little over half an hour. The quality of Djokovic’s serve restricted Alcaraz to just two points while returning across the first set and a historic victory looked on the cards.

It was never going to be one-way traffic, though, and Alcaraz broke early in the second, Djokovic’s level dropping from a near-perfect start, Alcaraz sealing the second set 6-2 to level the match. After Alcaraz protested to the umpire about the partially closed roof, the third set was closer and more hard-fought: Alcaraz eventually emerged a 6-3 winner, clinching it after a protracted deuce battle on his opponent’s serve.

Djokovic was pushed all the way in the second game of the fourth, showing incredible resilience to hold his serve in the second game and celebrating with emotion, showing he was still in the fight. The fourth set progressed with serve, and Djokovic seriously threatened to break in the ninth game, but his opponent fought hard to hold from deuce. Alcaraz forced a key error from Djokovic in the 12th game, to force two championship points, and Djokovic hit long on the first of them to hand his opponent the title.

The Serb had enjoyed some good fortune on his run to the final: he received a walkover when Jakub Mensik withdrew before their scheduled last-16 encounter, then Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire hurt in the quarter-final when leading 2-0 in sets. But Djokovic ruthlessly capitalised on his luck, seeing off Jannik Sinner in a captivating five-set semi-final on Friday. He also saved energy due to the efficient straight-sets victories in the first three rounds.

Alcaraz, whose first grand slam title came at the US Open in 2022, looks destined to win many more and continue his rivalry with the 24-year-old Sinner. But another grand slam win for Djokovic, based on this latest run to a final, cannot be ruled out. – Guardian

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