Carlos Alcaraz etched his name into tennis history on February 1, 2026, defeating Novak Djokovic in a thrilling Australian Open final to become the youngest man ever to complete a career Grand Slam. The 22-year-old Spaniard claimed victory at Rod Laver Arena with a score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in three hours and two minutes, adding the only major title missing from his collection.

At 22 years and 272 days old, Alcaraz shattered a record that had stood since 1938, when American Don Budge completed his career Grand Slam just days before his 23rd birthday. The achievement also surpassed Rafael Nadal, who previously held the Open Era record for youngest career Grand Slam at 24 years and 101 days.

The match itself was a classic encounter between two generations of tennis greatness. Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, came out firing in the first set, dominating the young Spaniard 6-2. However, Alcaraz showed the mental fortitude that has defined his rapid rise to the top of the sport, storming back to take the second set by the same scoreline.

The third set saw Alcaraz continue his resurgence, breaking Djokovic's serve at crucial moments to claim it 6-3. The fourth set proved the most dramatic, with both players trading blows until Alcaraz finally secured the championship on his first match point.

For Djokovic, the loss was particularly painful. The Serbian legend had been perfect in Australian Open finals, holding a flawless 10-0 record before this encounter. He was also seeking to become the first player ever to win 25 Grand Slam titles in the Open Era, a milestone that will have to wait.

The victory brought the head-to-head series between the two rivals to 5-5, with Alcaraz now having defeated Djokovic in all three Grand Slam finals they have contested. It is a remarkable statistic that speaks to Alcaraz's ability to perform on the biggest stages against the most decorated player in the history of the sport.

Alcaraz's path to the final was not without drama. While he did not drop a set through the quarterfinals, his semifinal against Alexander Zverev became the longest in tournament history. Trailing 3-5 in the fifth set, Alcaraz rallied to win four consecutive games and advance to the championship match.

With this triumph, Alcaraz joins an exclusive club as only the tenth man and sixth in the Open Era to complete a career Grand Slam, following in the footsteps of Rod Laver, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic himself.

The victory also made Alcaraz the youngest man in the Open Era to own seven Grand Slam singles titles, surpassing Bjorn Borg who achieved his seventh major at 23. His collection now includes two French Open titles, two Wimbledon championships, two US Open victories, and now his maiden Australian Open crown.

The championship earned Alcaraz a prize of 2.8 million dollars, bringing his career earnings to 62.8 million dollars. More importantly, it confirmed what many have suspected for years: that the tennis world is witnessing the emergence of one of the greatest players to ever pick up a racquet.

With Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner now having won nine consecutive Grand Slam titles between them, and 11 of the last 14, a new era in men's tennis has truly arrived.