Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic contested their first Grand Slam final outside of Great Britain at the 2026 Australian Open.
The pair emerged from marathon semifinals to set up a mouthwatering Australian Open championship match.
Serbian legend Djokovic made the faster start, taking the opener 6-2, but Alcaraz soon fought back.
The Spaniard won the second set by the same scoreline, taking control of the match.
In four sets, Alcaraz defeated Djokovic, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, to win the Australian Open and complete his Career Grand Slam.
Who finishes their career on more majors – Alcaraz or Djokovic?
Sharing his thoughts on the match, former world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov has claimed he knew the outcome of the final after just two sets.
Yevgeny Kafelnikov says Carlos Alcaraz’s physicality won him the Australian Open
During the latest episode of ‘Hardcourt‘, Kafelnikov gave his verdict on the 2026 Australian Open men’s singles final.
“I don’t know what the numbers were for the TV broadcast of the match, but I’m sure it was huge,” he said.
“A huge audience of tennis fans was glued to this match.
“Everyone was watching to see if Novak [Djokovic] could win his 25th Grand Slam, or if [Carlos] Alcaraz could win the Career Grand Slam at 22.
Carlos Alcaraz’s quest for the Career Grand Slam
- Australian Open – Completed in 2026
- French Open – Completed in 2024
- Wimbledon – Completed in 2023
- US Open – Completed in 2022
“There was so much at stake in this one match.”
The Russian did, however, suggest that he knew the match was over when Alcaraz won set two.
“To be honest, when Carlos Alcaraz won the second set, I already knew that Novak wouldn’t be able to win two more sets,” said Kafelnikov.
“Playing the kind of energy-consuming tennis that they showed in the first two sets.”
Djokovic gave it his all at the start of the match and played a near-perfect first set to move a step closer to a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
He was hitting the ball harder than ever, painting the lines on Rod Laver Arena.
But his level dipped in the second, and it never really recovered.
The 16-year age difference between the two finalists became evident as the match wore on.
Alcaraz looked fresher and was more willing to chase down balls, making Djokovic work hard for every point.
Djokovic never gave up hope, but it just wasn’t his day, as he fell in four sets.
All those who claimed he couldn’t beat Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz in back-to-back matches at 38 were, in all fairness, proved right.
Where does that performance rank out of Novak Djokovic’s best of all time?
But what’s next for Djokovic?
With the French Open, his next shot at Grand Slam number 25, three months away, perhaps now is the time for Djokovic to chase down another tennis record.
Novak Djokovic can now chase down Jimmy Connors’ title record
Djokovic sits third in the all-time list for men’s singles titles in the Open Era.
He trails two tennis legends: Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors.
| Rank | Name | Country | Titles |
| 1 | Jimmy Connors | USA | 109 |
| 2 | Roger Federer | Switzerland | 103 |
| 3 | Novak Djokovic | Serbia | 101 |
| 4 | Ivan Lendl | Czechia | 94 |
| 5 | Rafael Nadal | Spain | 92 |
If Djokovic can win nine titles between now and the end of his career, he’d retire as the leader in yet another statistic.
But how many titles has he won in recent years?
Novak Djokovic – Titles per year since 2020
- 2025 – 2 (Geneva Open, Hellenic Championship)
- 2024 – 1 (Olympics)
- 2023 – 7 (Adelaide International, Australian Open, French Open, Cincinnati Open, US Open, Paris Masters, ATP Finals)
- 2022 – 5 (Italian Open, Wimbledon, Tel Aviv Open, Astana Open, ATP Finals)
- 2021 – 5 (Australian Open, Belgrade Open, French Open, Wimbledon, Paris Masters)
- 2020 – 4 (Australian Open, Dubai Tennis Championships, Cincinnati Open, Italian Open)
After winning seven titles in 2023, Djokovic has only won three over the last two seasons.
Whether he can improve that record in 2026 remains to be seen.
He’ll have a chance to add a 102nd title to his trophy cabinet at the upcoming Qatar Open in Doha.
To do so, Djokovic may need to beat Alcaraz or Sinner, if not both, again.
The 2026 Qatar Open is scheduled to begin on Monday, February 16.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
