Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest player in history to win all four major titles, after defeating Novak Djokovic in four sets to claim the Australian Open crown for the first time.

The 22-year-old recovered from a set down to prevail 2-6 6-2 6-3 7-5 in just over three hours on Rod Laver Arena, landing his seventh major title.

Djokovic was targeting a record-breaking 25th grand slam title in his 38th such final, after dethroning two-time reigning champion Jannik Sinner in an epic semi-final.

The 10-time Australian Open champion made an ideal start, breaking at the third attempt in game four and doing so again in the eighth, while dropping just two points on serve as he drew first blood inside 33 minutes.

Alcaraz had come through his own mammoth semi-final to reach this stage, scraping past Alexander Zverev in just under five-and-a-half hours.

The Spaniard responded with two breaks of his own in the second set, as well as rescuing a break point in the fourth game, on his way to swiftly levelling the match.

Djokovic was 16-4 in major finals when winning the opening set, though his last such defeat came against Alcaraz when they met in the 2023 championship match at Wimbledon.

The world number one broke again in game five of the third set and, despite the Serbian rescuing four set points, he eventually got over the line to move within one set of victory.

It looked like Alcaraz could race away early in the fourth set, but Djokovic dug deep to save six break points in a 13-minute second game to eventually hold.

The 24-time major winner had the chance to break in game nine, only to send a forehand long, and that miscue would ultimately prove costly.

The set stayed on serve until the 12th game, when Alcaraz forced two championship points. But only one was necessary, and he sunk to the ground as Djokovic fired long.

22, 258 - Carlos Alcaraz (22y 258d) is now the youngest male player in tennis history to complete the Career Grand Slam, surpassing Don Budge (22y 355d) in 1938. Unfathomable.#AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @atptour pic.twitter.com/fKBx0spZe0

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) February 1, 2026

Data Debrief: Carlitos wins battle between youth and experience 

Alcaraz and Djokovic were the Australian Open men's singles finalists with the biggest age gap in the Open Era, at 15 years and 349 days.

The Spaniard, at 22 years and 258 days old, surpasses Don Budge (22 years, 355 days in 1938) as the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam.

He is also one of only six players to achieve the feat during the Open Era, along with Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Rod Laver and Andre Agassi.

Alcaraz took his major title tally to seven already, surpassing Bjorn Borg (22 years, 356 days) to become the youngest player to reach that figure.

It was also his 25th ATP title, reaching that tally in the fewest main-draw appearances since 1990 (86).