MELBOURNE, Australia — Carlos Alcaraz is the youngest man in tennis history to win all four of the major singles championships, and the 22-year-old Spanish star had to achieve what no man previously has done to complete the career Grand Slam in Australia.
The top-ranked player on the ATP Tour dropped the first set of the Australian Open final in 33 minutes Sunday as Novak Djokovic went out hard in pursuit of an unprecedented 25th major singles title, but the young Spaniard dug deep to win 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.
“Means the world to me,” Alcaraz said. “It is a dream come true for me.”
Djokovic had won all 10 of his previous finals at Melbourne Park, and despite being 38, the Serbian great gave himself every chance of extending that streak to 11 when he needed only two sets to win.
Alcaraz rose to the challenge.