Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open 2026 final to complete a historic Career Grand Slam. Aged 22, he became the youngest in the Open Era to achieve the feat, surpassing Rafael Nadal, and claimed his seventh major title.
The World No.1 and Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz completed a historic Career Grand Slam with a victory in the Australian Open 2026 Final on Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park on Sunday, February 1. The Spaniard defeated the Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic in the title clash to clinch his maiden Melbourne Major.
Alcaraz lost the opening set before bouncing back with victories in the next three sets - 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 to defeatDjokovic, clinch his maiden Australian Open title, and complete a Career Grand Slam.
The Spaniard’s first Australian Open final appearance ended in historic triumph. Alcaraz’s last best appearance at the Melbourne Slam was the quarterfinal, where he lost to Djokovic in 2025. Carlos Alcaraz avenged his 2025 quarterfinal loss to Novak Djokovic by defeating the Serbian legend in the final to lift his maiden Australian Open title.
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Carlos Alcaraz Overtakes Rafael Nadal’s Record
With an Australian Open title and a Career Grand Slam, Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest player to win all four Major titles in the Open Era and the second overall after Don Budge, who achieved the feat at the age of 22 in the Amateur era.
Alcaraz surpassed his compatriot and 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, who completed a Career Grand Slam at the age of 24, to become the youngest player to achieve the milestone in the Open Era at just 22. The Melbourne Major was only a piece missing in his Grand Slam collection, which he finally secured to complete a historic Career Grand Slam.
Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2022, and then he went on to win five more Majors, including two Wimbledon Championships in 2023 and 2024, the French Open in 2024 and 2025, and then again won the US Open in 2025.
The Australian Open triumph was the seventh major title of his career, marking another milestone in his rapidly growing legacy. Over the past few years, the World No.1 has consistently dominated the biggest stages, establishing himself as one of the defining of his generation, alongside Jannik Sinner, and a future great of the sport.
Djokovic's Quest for 25th Grand Slam Title Continues
Carlos Alcaraz’s Australian Open victory and a historic Career Grand Slam victory came at the expense of Novak Djokovic’s quest for his record-breaking 25th Grand Slam triumph, which remains elusive after a heartbreaking loss at Melbourne Park. The Serbian was just one win away from a historic feat, but Alcaraz’s brilliance denied him yet another slice of history on his favourite Grand Slam stage.
After winning record-equalling 24th Major at the 2023 US Open, Djokovic has been chasing an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title, but the milestone continues to elude him. The last time a Serbian tennis star reached a Grand Slam final before the Australian Open was at the 2024 Wimbledon, where he lost to Alcaraz in the title clash.
The former World No.1’s hopes of chasing a 25th Grand Slam triumph were once again dashed after losing to Alcaraz in the final, which caught the attention of the spectators and the tennis fans across the world as history was on the line.
However, Novak Djokovic has left the Australian Open with achievements and records, including 400 Grand Slam match wins, the most wins at the Melbourne Slam, and achieving a unique record of 100 matches at three Grand Slam events, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in tennis history despite narrowly missing his 25th major.
