Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 7–5 on Feb. 1, 2026 to win the Australian Open men’s singles title at Melbourne Park, earning his first championship in Melbourne and completing a career Grand Slam.
What happened
Djokovic struck first, taking the opening set 6–2 as he controlled the early exchanges and kept Alcaraz from settling into his usual rhythm.
From the second set on, the match flipped into Alcaraz’s preferred tempo. He steadied his baseline patterns, raised his return pressure, and pulled level with a 6–2 set that shifted the balance of the night.
Alcaraz carried that momentum through the third, taking it 6–3, then closed in a tight fourth set, 7–5, to deny Djokovic an 11th Australian Open final win and end his perfect record in Melbourne finals.
Turning point
After losing the first set, Alcaraz stopped donating short points and began consistently making Djokovic play extra balls, which increased the pressure on Djokovic’s service games and gradually moved the match onto Alcaraz’s terms.
Key numbers
- Sets: Alcaraz won the last 3 sets after dropping the first
- Final score: 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 7–5
What it means
For Alcaraz, the win delivered his first Australian Open title and completed a career Grand Slam, adding Melbourne to his major résumé. For Djokovic, the loss ended a run of perfection in Australian Open finals, after he entered the match with a 10–0 record in Melbourne title matches.
What’s next
Both players now turn to the next phase of the season with the Sunshine Double and the spring calendar ahead, with Alcaraz carrying the season’s first major title and Djokovic showing he can still reach the final stages of majors at 38.
