Young, fearless, historic: Carlos Alcaraz completes career Grand Slam at 22

MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz has done it. Against all odds, the 22-year-old Spaniard defeated Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in the Australian Open final to claim his first title Down Under, and in doing so became the youngest man in tennis history to complete the Career Grand Slam, joining just eight other men to ever lift all four major trophies.

But Alcaraz’s road to glory was anything but smooth. Just two days earlier, he had faced Alexander Zverev in a grueling semifinal, visibly battling physical distress on Rod Laver Arena. After storming into a two-set lead, Alcaraz’s movement faltered, and he later revealed he had vomited and was struggling with his right adductor. Zverev seized the moment, pushing the Spaniard to a third-set tiebreak and forcing a fourth set that tested Alcaraz’s endurance to the limit.

Even while hampered, Alcaraz refused to yield. Using surgical touch, precise drop shots, and unshakable resolve, he held serve, relied on support from his coaching team, and let the roaring crowd lift him. His performance in that semifinal wasn’t just a win; it was a statement of grit and determination, proving he could endure pain to reach the final.

And in the final, he carried that same resilience. After dropping the opening set to Djokovic, the world No. 1 found his rhythm, dominating the next two sets with aggressive baseline play and jaw-dropping all-court shots. In the fourth, with the Rod Laver Arena on its feet, Alcaraz broke Djokovic’s serve in the final game to seal a three-hour, two-minute triumph.

At 22, Alcaraz is now only the 9th man in history to complete the Career Grand Slam, and the youngest ever. For Djokovic, 38, and chasing a record 25th major, it was a rare defeat in Melbourne and a reminder that the torch may well be passing to the next generation.

From physical agony against Zverev to triumph over Djokovic, Alcaraz’s journey this Australian Open has been tennis at its most thrilling, heroic, and historic. The youngest Grand Slam Career Slam champion? History has a new name: Carlos Alcaraz.