Carlos Alcaraz is the youngest man ever to complete a career Grand Slam after securing the Australian Open title against Novak Djokovic, who had never lost in his 10 previous finals at Melbourne Park.
The top-ranked Alcaraz dropped the first set Sunday as Djokovic went out hard in pursuit of a record 25th major title, but he dug deep to win 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.
As he was leaving the court, he signed the lens of the TV camera with a note of recognition: “Job finished. 4/4 Complete.â
The 22-year-old Spaniard scrambled to retrieve shots that usually would be winners for Djokovic, and he kept up intense pressure on his 38-year-old rival. There were extended rallies where each player hit enough brilliant shots to usually win a game, with neither player willing to give an inch or concede.