Alcaraz was welcomed into tennis immortality by the GOAT. It’s proof he could end up catching Djoker

‘WANNA PLAY, RAFA?’ Tennis world melts over Djoker’s cheeky mid-match offer to fellow legend

According to Djokovic, what Alcaraz is doing is “unbelievable”. Anyone who watched this final would agree.

“I mean, the results are a testament to his already stellar career. I can’t think of any other superlatives about him,” he said.

“I think everything he said, and he deserves every bit of the praise that he gets from his peers, but also the whole tennis community. He’s very nice young man. (He has) good values, a nice family.

“Of course, (he is) already a legendary tennis player that made already a huge mark in the history books of tennis, I mean, with only 22 years of age. It’s super impressive, no doubt about it.”

In securing a record that could stand forever given how long it took for it to be broken, and how exquisite a talent it required, Alcaraz conquered one of the hardest challenges tennis can pose a player by defeating Djokovic on his favourite court.

The Serbian was a perfect 10 on Rod Laver Arena in Australian Open finals and he has been near invincible at night in Melbourne throughout an extraordinary career.

There can be no more worthy way to join the pantheon of greats than to conquer a legend, particularly as this was a decider in which Djokovic was also chasing history.

An 11th Australian Open title would have given him 25 major titles in all, taking him beyond the tally he currently shares with Margaret Court.

Had the 38-year-old prevailed, he would have become the oldest man to win a grand slam title. Instead Ken Rosewall, who had a front-row seat for the final, retained his hold.

After being on the receiving end of an onslaught of near perfection from Djokovic in the opening set, the Spaniard found a way to swing the momentum against the maestro, who later said that he lost energy for a period early in the second.

That looked the case on the court, but Djokovic summoned an extraordinary level in the fourth set and against the trend held a break point to move to a 5-4 lead as he sought to force a decider, only to overhit a forehand. It was the defining point.

“I mean, one or two shots can change the momentum of the match and switch things around, which happened,” Djokovic said. “I’m just very disappointed I wasn’t able to maintain that kind of feeling that I had in the first set. (There are) a lot of what-if scenarios in my head, and yeah, I guess it is what it is. You have to just accept it as it is.”

In completing a stunning fortnight in Melbourne, Alcaraz matched his deed at Wimbledon in their classic final of 2023 when overcoming a deficit to prevail against the tennis titan.

Only Rafael Nadal, who was courtside on Sunday night and fought back after dropping the first set at Roland Garros in 2014, and Stan Wawrinka, who did it twice, have managed it in major finals.

Djokovic holds nearly every accolade in the book. But it is indisputable Alcaraz is chasing him, with the Spaniard surging up the honour tables at an unparalleled speed. Despite the age gulf, they have developed a superb rivalry.

Alcaraz’s place in history is already secured and the Spaniard now sits in the most esteemed company.

He is now just the ninth man to complete the career Grand Slam, joining Budge, Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi and Fred Perry.

A seventh major title takes him into the top 10 list of all-time major winners, with his victory seeing him draw level with John McEnroe and Mats Wilander and taking him beyond Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg. It goes without saying that it all really is quite extraordinary and something Alcaraz is trying to get his head around.

“I’m going to say tennis really is beautiful, but what the bad part of tennis is we have tournaments week after week after week, and sometimes you don’t realise what you’ve been doing lately, because once you finish tournament, you got to be prepared or your mind is about going to the next tournament,” he said.

“So sometimes you don’t stop yourself and think about what you’re doing. What I’ve learned this year is about appreciating and enjoying every single second of the moment you’re living.

“(It is) not only lifting the trophies, but playing tournaments, playing tennis, getting victories, getting losses. Whatever it is, just enjoy and appreciate the life you’re living.

“Right now I’m just trying to have a time to realise what I’ve been doing. I know I’m doing history with some trophies, some tournaments, some achievements that I’ve been getting. For me it’s an honour to put my name on the history books.”

Comparing the greats from one generation to the next, and from one century to another, can be a flight of fancy. But what is beyond doubt is that the sport continues to evolve.

Just as Djokovic graduated from being the best returning player tennis had seen to an all-time great without a flaw in his game, Alcaraz is elevating it to another level.

He has every weapon imaginable and arguably a couple more as well. It has been said he has the spin of Nadal, the touch of Federer and the mentality of Djokovic. This looks true.

But Alcaraz is doing it his way, from his resplendent touch to the acute angles, the vicious topspin and the raw power he is capable of unleashing with the flick of a switch.

Jannik Sinner has been the supreme hard court player in the world for the past two years and his greatest rival. Yet Alcaraz has now won the last two hard court grand slams.

Having completed the career Grand Slam, his next major will come at Roland Garros, where he has been the champion for the past two years. It will be fascinating to watch his season. But Djokovic has no doubt he will continue to improve.

“The first time I played him, he was, what, 11 or 12-years-old … no, he was, I think, 18 or 19 but you could already see that he’s destined for great things,” Djokovic said.

“But, of course, a lot has changed since then. He has improved physically, mentally, game-wise. He’s constantly looking to innovate himself and his game, which is exactly the kind of mentality that needs to be nurtured for a champion.

“You know, it’s never enough in terms of settling with your game. You have to progress. Otherwise, you regress because everyone else progresses. I mean, he has everything. (He has the) whole package. I mean, he’s only 22. It’s unbelievable.

“Everything is possible in his case, no question about it. If he was able to achieve at already such a young age seven slams and all the other accolades, he’s … steering forward big-time.”

In Djokovic, the most recent man to complete the career Grand Slam, there is a caution.

After the Serbian’s stunning success at Roland Garros in 2016, he dipped in motivation for a period before roaring back to dominate tennis with a supremacy rarely seen. Even at 38, his level is extraordinary.

Alcaraz said what will help him remain focused is his hunger for success and, even more so, the fact he hates losing.

Djokovic, meanwhile, was ultimately denied in what proved to be a thrilling final, with the Serbian demonstrating incredible mental strength after his epic victory over Sinner on Friday.

What is certain beyond any doubt is that he remains firmly in the hunt to win a major, even if the drought to his last victory in New York back in 2023 has now stretched to 29 months.

A 25th grand slam title may never come. But it will not be for the lack of trying or quality. To be able to go toe-to-toe with the new age champions on Friday and Sunday was epic.

Bring on Roland Garros and, in particular, Wimbledon, where his weaponry remains the envy of all bar, perhaps, Alcaraz and Sinner, the defending champion.

“It’s hard just right after the match to be all positive and smiling, because you are a competitor and you don’t want to lose, and you don’t like to lose. That’s the kind of feeling,” he said.

“But overall, for sure, it’s been a fantastic tournament. I knew that I’d probably have to beat two of them on the way to the title.

“I beat one, which is great, so it’s a step more further than I have gone in Grand Slams than last year. Very nice, encouraging.

But, you know, (that is) not enough for me. Let’s see. I’m going to keep pushing and see if I get another chance.”

NOVAK’S NEAR PERFECT START

Alcaraz opted to receive on winning the toss and was on the defensive from then on in an astonishingly lopsided opening set completely dominated by the King of Melbourne Park.

From the supremacy of his serving to his mastery from the baseline, Djokovic dictated terms in a near flawless performance throughout the first set in which he broke Alcaraz twice.

It had been speculated how much the brisk conditions would negate the vicious spin the Spaniard imparts on the ball and the answer was evident from the first game. A hell of a lot.

He was scarcely able to trouble the ageing marvel in rallies, proving unable to push Djokovic off the baseline or hit through him for winners with anywhere near his usual frequency.

It was a masterclass of clean hitting from the 38-year-old, who carried the phenomenal ball striking from the second half of his sensational semifinal win over Jannik Sinner into the final.

The world No.1 could muster just two points on return in the first set. And by the end of the stanza, he was looking toward Djokovic after points in disbelief at what he was copping.

The Serbian said later he sat down after winning the first set believing he was now capable of winning a 25th grand slam title.

“Absolutely,” he said.

“I know he’s a very smart, all-around player that obviously changes tactics and adjusts his game depending on how he feels the opponent is playing, so I knew that he’s going to switch things around and he’s going to raise his level.

“I knew what I needed to do, but just some things happened, and my energy, my level went completely down from north to south in two games.”

ALCARAZ RESPONDS

From near perfection in the first set, the first signs of an Alcaraz revival came in the opening game of the second set, but not necessarily as a result of his own excellence on court.

After a near perfect opening set, Djokovic showed his first signs of being human in the infancy of the second with a couple of unforced errors, but he managed to hold his serve.

It was the first time Alcaraz had won more than two points in a game on the legend’s serve and at the change of ends, there was a contrast in the body language of the combatants.

The 22-year-old had a quick swig of water and then jogged to the other end, as if trying to get the blood pulsing and some adrenaline flowing after being bullied from the opening point.

Djokovic in contrast was testing out the string tension of the racquets in his bag, smacking them hard on the palm of his left hand.

He had won seven of the first nine games but did not appear particularly satisfied with what he was feeling, even his ball striking was superb.

Having dropped three games in succession, the Spaniard broke the momentum when holding with an ace clipped up the T to the advantage court to square the second set.

Then he made his move, aided in part by a stroke of fortune and also by a dip in quality from the champion at the other end of the court.

At 15-all, 1-all, he struck a groundstroke that clipped the net, bounced up before trickling on to the No.4 seed’s side of the court to the clear bemusement of Djokovic, who then erred twice in succession – the latter when missing a backhand volley to the open court – to drop.

Alcaraz was alive. But he still had to hold serve to make a full conversion and swing the momentum properly his way and received a stroke of fortune when his rival overcooked a forehand when holding a break back point in the very next game.

But on holding for 3-1, he pumped his first and drew a roar of support from the crowd, who had until that stage been clearly in favour of Djokovic. They wanted this to become an epic.

“As I said before, tennis can change on just one point. One point, one feeling, one shot can change the whole match completely,” Alcaraz said later.

“So the first set, I think he played great. I was hitting the ball well. I was moving well. I think all I can say I played well the first set, but you know, in front of me I had a great and inspired Novak, who was playing great, great shots.

“So in the second set, I think the first game he made few easy mistakes that he hadn’t had in the first set, so that gave me a lot of calm (and) I just trusted and I believed that the match could change a little bit if I stayed there mentally strong or mentally positive, trying to be solid.

“I just changed a little bit tactically that it already didn’t work in the first set … and I think that that helped a lot to get into the match again and I feel comfortable and calmer in the match.”

With his hold on the match waning, the Serbian superstar started to come forward with more frequency on his serve, clearly trying to shorten the points where possible, with the dip in level and energy he cited later clearly apparent in general play.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, was finally finding his range and rhythm and started to whip more winners from the baseline as he stretched his rival more and more.

Djokovic gifted him another service break with a forehand error and when the Spaniard held easily in the following game, the decider was a set apiece with just 1hr 10min on the clock.

SPANISH SENSATION SEIZES CONTROL

If Djokovic was red hot on a cold January night in the first set and flatter than a Melbourne Park hardcourt in the second, the start of the third was where this final started to deliver.

Neither player had found their best at the same time in the first two sets but the shotmaking in the infancy of this set saw several sublime points played that drew the crowd to their feet.

Even the Serbian superstar could only applaud after a point in the fourth game where he whipped a scorching backhand around the net post, only for Alcaraz to make a sliding save.

Leading 2-1 but with Alcaraz serving at 30-all, large parts of the crowd began chanting “Nole. Nole. Nole.” Alcaraz responded with the most sublime acute forehand imaginable.

A game later and the Spanish sensation was in front for the first time in the final, with his groundstrokes and angles responsible for breaking down the consistency of Djokovic.

He had opted for an attire change at the end of the second set. But the fresh set of clothing did not freshen up the trajectory of the final as his younger rival seized control.

As the frequency of brilliant points increased, with those increasingly won by the No.1, the crowd started to swing its support behind the Spaniard. Everyone loves a winner, after all.

Sinner had slugged away with little change in pace or trajectory in the latter stages of Friday’s semifinal and Djokovic revelled with the metronomic, flatter rhythm.

But Alcaraz has more party tricks and was able to slice and skid the ball with his backhand on occasion, deceive Djokovic with his drop shot and then raise the pace with a blast or two.

It meant that the veteran was too frequently off-balance as the match progressed, which was blunting the fabled consistency and precision of his groundstrokes. And the errors flowed.

On his fifth break point when leading 5-3, Alcaraz was able to break the seven-time Wimbledon champion yet again to within a set of a historic moment in tennis.

AN AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL OF THE AGES REACHES ITS PEAK

Djokovic was incredible under pressure on serve against Sinner in the final set of their semifinal on Friday and found himself in a similar position against Alcaraz early in the fourth.

In a marathon second game, the defiant star managed to save six break points, but that was just to level at 1-game apiece. But it gave him a toehold in the set and the crowd loved it.

Could this stunning show of defiance prove the catalyst for one more unforgettable surge?

What it did was disrupt the relentless pressure the Murcian marvel applied to the Belgrade baseline on his serve, at least for a couple of games, with Djokovic holding with more ease.

Alcaraz opened a half-window at 4-3 with two brilliant points, only for the Serbian star to shut the door with another show of supreme defiance. There has been no-one tougher on court.

The 4-all game on the Alcaraz serve was electric as the Serbian strived with all his might to try to unnerve his rival, revving the crowd up more and more with every point he won.

A break point eventuated when the young star netted a forehand. But he overhit the forehand, with the anguish on his face apparent as he lamented a golden chance lost.

“The first set was one of the best sets I’ve played the last couple years. Then, you know, I kind of regained my energy back and momentum in mid-fourth and asked the crowd to get involved. They did,” Djokovic said.

“(It was) just a bad miss at 4-all and break point. That forehand, I had a good look at that forehand. My forehand broke down in important moments.

“That’s what happens. I mean, one or two shots can change the momentum of the match and switch things around, which happened. I’m just very disappointed I wasn’t able to maintain that kind of feeling that I had in the first set.”

When the Spaniard managed to hold two points later, he raised his fist to the sky in defiance and dragged the crowd to their feet as well. It was proving some finale.

It is a credit to the nerve and temperament of the champion that he was able to hold his nerve given the adrenaline pulsing through Djokovic and around Rod Laver Arena. Ultimately, it was the legend who wilted.

Alcaraz defeated the most extraordinary of champions. And he seals his place in history, his legend confirmed aged 22.