Carlos Alcaraz (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz claimed his maiden Australian Open title with a commanding four-set victory over Novak Djokovic, defeating the Serb 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 at the Rod Laver Arena on Sunday. The win not only denied Djokovic a record 25th Grand Slam, but also made Alcaraz the youngest man in the Open era to complete a career Grand Slam. At just 22, the Spaniard surpassed compatriot Rafael Nadal, who was in the crowd to achieve the feat at a younger age.After a slow start, with Djokovic dominating the opening set with great authority, Alcaraz turned up the intensity and took control of the match. He broke early in the second set, saved key break points and overwhelmed Djokovic with pace, power and relentless movement to level the match. From there, Alcaraz continued to assert his dominance, winning extended rallies and forcing errors as Djokovic’s energy began to wane after his grueling semi-final against Jannik Sinner.The third set hinged on a single break and Alcaraz converted his fifth set point to move ahead. Djokovic showed typical resilience in the fourth game, saving several break points and fighting through a long opening game, but Alcaraz continued to pile on the pressure. With Djokovic serving to stay in the match, the Spaniard pounced to seal victory and his seventh Grand Slam title.The loss marked Djokovic’s first defeat in an Australian Open final, having won all 10 of his previous appearances in Melbourne. Still chasing a historic 25th major, the 38-year-old remains one behind Margaret Court’s all-time record. For Alcaraz, this triumph cements his position as world number one, with Sinner second and Djokovic third in the rankings, and signals the final passing of the torch in men’s tennis.
