In the end, there were just two. Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. Two different generations in men’s tennis, with styles of play that aren’t quite identical either. Both set to arrive at Melbourne Park with the same goal in mind – lifting the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after winning the Australian Open men’s singles final.
The stakes, however, aren’t quite the same for the two players. In fact, they are astronomically different when comparing the context surrounding Alcaraz to that of Djokovic ahead of Sunday’s final at the Rod Laver Arena.
Alcaraz on the verge of another incredible feat
Alcaraz, after all, has reached the Australian Open final for the first time in his career after making it as far as the quarters in the last two editions. Let’s not forget the fact that the ‘Happy Slam’, as they call it, holds plenty of significance for the young Spaniard.
It was here, after all, that he had made his maiden appearance in the main draw of a major tournament. And on Friday, Alcaraz became the youngest man in the Open Era to reach the final of all four Grand Slams after overcoming a mid-game injury to pull off an incredible 6-4 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7) 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 victory over Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.
Should he defeat the 38-year-old veteran star on Sunday, Alcaraz – who had recently parted ways with his long-time coach – will end up breaking the record for the youngest player to complete a ‘Career Slam’, breaking the record that was previously set by Don Budge in the 1938 during the Amateur Era.
If he pulls it off, it certainly will be the biggest achievement so far of Alcaraz’s career and further elevate him towards superstardom. That feat, however, might just pale compared to what Djokovic might end up achieving on Sunday.
The record that awaits Alcaraz, after all, is one that is a hallmark of his incredible talent that is finally translating to most prestigious of titles at the highest level of tennis.
Djokovic aiming to go where no player has ever ventured before
What Djokovic is hunting for – on the other hand – is one that certainly will rank among the greatest feats across all sport, one that will serve as a testament to the Serbian legend’s longevity and fierce competitive spirit in addition to his generational talent.
Djokovic, who turns 39 this May, remains the last active player from tennis’ ‘Big Three’ – which comprises Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who had won 20 and 22 Grand Slams respectively. And if there’s one elusive achievement that has kept him hungry in his late 30s after virtually achieving it all, it is the pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam.
Djokovic, after all, has been stuck on 24 Grand Slams since he had leveled Margaret Court’s record after beating Daniil Medvedev to win the 2023 US Open. He was having quite the run that year, having also become the first man to win 10 Australian Open titles that year and added a third French Open crown to his collection later that year.
Had it not been for his defeat at the hands of Alcaraz at Wimbledon, he might have completed a sweep of all four Majors that year.
It was, therefore, inexplicable that Djokovic would fail to win another Grand Slam for the next couple of years after the run that he had in 2023, with Alcaraz and fellow rising star Jannik Sinner dominating the Majors during this period by winning four titles each.
Djokovic, who had completed a Career Golden Slam by winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, had reached a Grand Slam final just once during this period – at the 2024 Wimbledon, where he lost to Alcaraz in straight sets.
He would then reach the semi-finals of all four Slams last year, only to falter at this stage on each occasion – withdrawing due to injury in Melbourne before losing either to Sinner or Alcaraz in Paris, London and New York.
The shift in the balance of power over the last two years not only cemented the ‘Sincaraz’ duo as the dominant force in the sport, it also raised questions over Djokovic’s own future and his ability to compete at the highest level against players more than a decade younger than himself.
After losing to Alcaraz in straight sets at Flushing Meadows, the Serbian – also considered among the fittest players ever in tennis – had admitted he was struggling to maintain his stamina over the course of five sets.
That struggle was even more evident at the Shanghai Masters a month later, losing to world No 204 Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals in what was among the biggest upsets in tennis history.
Followers of the sport, even some of his most hardcore of supporters, would have been forgiven for doubting his ability to continue competing at this level despite his unparalleled work ethic and passion.
Roaring back in style against Sinner
Cut to Friday, 29 January, and Djokovic proved his doubters wrong by defeating Sinner in another incredible semi-final showdown. For a moment it appeared as if the match would head towards a familiar conclusion after the Italian – a two-time defending champion at Melbourne Park – took the first set 6-3 and later led two sets to one by taking the third set 6-4.
Djokovic’s roar after winning a point in the sixth game of the fourth set, however, let the world know that he was far from done in his pursuit for the coveted No 25. It was the primal cry that signalled the return of the Djokovic of the old, one that had caught up with Federer and Nadal in the early 2010s and had reigned as the undisputed No 1 in the latter half of the decade and the early 2020s.
“I never stopped doubting. I never stopped believing in myself. There’s a lot of people that doubt me,” Djokovic said after his victory over Sinner. “I see there is a lot of experts all of a sudden that wanted to retire me or have retired me many times the last couple of years.
“I want to thank them all, because they gave me strength. They gave me motivation to prove them wrong,” he added, taking a dig at his detractors.
Whether that version of Djokovic shows up at the French Open and the remaining Grand Slams of the year or not, is something that remains to be seen. He has indicated for now that he will not be retiring before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where he will be hoping to sign off by winning another gold medal for Serbia.
Now or never for ‘Djoker’
What Djokovic will be realising heading into Sunday’s final, however, is the fact that he will not be getting a better opportunity for break Court’s record and become the most successful player in tennis history – man or woman.
He couldn’t have picked a better tournament to return to his old form – the Australian Open, where he is the most successful man till date and is one trophy away from equalling Court’s record of 11 titles in Melbourne Park.
And given his age, as well as the fact that Alcaraz and Sinner are gradually entering the prime phase of their careers and will continue to breathe down his neck from hereon, it would be safe to say that Sunday’s final at the Rod Laver Arena could end up deciding whether he gets to retire a 25-time Grand Slam champion or not.
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