Carlos Alcaraz made history with his triumph at the Australian Open 2026. As the youngest player ever, he completed the career Grand Slam with the title in Melbourne. There was a lot of praise from opponent and tennis icon Novak Djokovic – even directly at the net.
Historic moment in Melbourne: Carlos Alcaraz defeated record winner Novak Djokovic in four sets (2:6, 6:2, 6:4, 7:5), winning the Australian crown for the first time. The Spaniard has now won all Grand Slam tournaments at least once. Nobody has managed that at this young age.
Final opponent Novak Djokovic came to the net after the match to hug Alcaraz. The 22-year-old has now revealed what the 38-year-old said to him at that moment.
“He just said to me, ‘Congratulations, you deserve it.’ I just told him: ‘It’s always a pleasure,'” the Spaniard told the press.
It’s “always a pleasure” to share the court with him, “especially when it’s a Grand Slam final,” added Alcaraz.
Huge respect for Djokovic
The admiration is huge. “I have tremendous respect for him – as an athlete and as a person – and I’m just very grateful to have had these experiences on and off the court. That hug, I think, represented respect.”
Video: Alcaraz is looking forward to a kangaroo tattoo
Alcaraz even believes Djokovic can pull off a really big coup again. If Djokovic maintains this level, “he will win big things. He will reach a Grand Slam final again. I think he is ready to continue winning the big tournaments on the tour.”
Now the newly crowned champion wants to get a tattoo of a kangaroo. He said the day after his triumph that he didn’t know exactly where. “I’m thinking about the leg, but I don’t know where yet,” he said.
He had to do something great to remind me of this great moment.
