The Spanish Carlos Alcaraz and the Serbian Novak Djokovic tied at a set at the start of the final of the Australian Open tennis in Melbourne. The first set went to the Belgrade tennis player 2-6. A score that the Murcian returned in the second (6-2).
Just before the third set began, Alcaraz has addressed the chair umpire visibly angry to ask him why the retractable roof of the center court was being closed, something that, according to the Murcian, the players should have been notified because it could affect the game during the match. The Spaniard’s protest occurred when the Serbian had retired to the bathroom, before starting the third set.
Alcaraz’s anger at the closing of the roof during the final with Djokovic: “It’s unfair”
Alcaraz, in search of his first Australian Open
Whatever happens, and whoever wins, the final of the Open the Australia among the number one in the world, Carlos Alcaraz, and the ten-time champion in Melbourne, Novak Djokovicwill be part of tennis history.
Legendary challenges They gather at the Rod Laver Arena. That of the Spaniard, who intends to win the Australian Open for the first time and round out his harvest of great tournaments and become the youngest to achieve the Grand Slam; and that of the Serbian, determined, at more than 38 years old, to achieve twenty-five ‘majors’, more than anyone elseand, thus, extend his advantage over Rafael Nadal, with twenty-two, and Roger Federer, with twenty, in the men’s category and surpass the legendary Margaret Court in the absolute ranking, with whom he maintains equality.
Alcaraz clings to destiny and, after beating the German Alexander Zverev in a match that he clearly won and then almost lost, in the longest semifinal in the history of the tournament, he now encounters Djokovic, the best player in historyvoracious, tireless and incombustible.
The Serbian has intervened in the new tennis classicthe duels between Sinner and Alcaraz in the fight for the big titles. In fact, it could also get in the way of their historic dominance if they manage to win on Sunday.
The Murcian and the Italian, who monopolized the last three major finals of 2025 -Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the United States Open- The last eight Grand Slam trophies have been distributed. Four for the Italian and as many for the Spanish between 2024 and 2025. 2026 has started differently, with Djokovic as an intruder. The Balkan, who refuses to say goodbye professionally, intends to win a title again. He hasn’t done it since the final of the 2023 United States Open. Afterwards, the successes have been a matter of two.
Carlos Alcaraz has started a new era in his career. In addition to strengthening aspects of his game, especially his serve, he is without Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has been his coach for seven years. It is under the control of Samuel López, who acted as second although he already accompanied him to tournaments with some frequency in the past.
The Paris 2024 Olympic final
Especially in the memory of the Murcian is the Olympic final, in Paris 2024, when he was pointing towards the gold medal that the Serbian wonand the quarterfinal duel in this same tournament, at the Australian Open last year, when a match that was more than on track escaped him.
Besides, face to face with the Balkan is adverse. They have played nine times and Djokovic won five, including Melbourne in 2025 and the semifinal of Roland Garros in 2023. But Alcaraz has also enjoyed his great moments against the winner of twenty-four majors, such as the finals of Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024 and the semifinal of the United States Open last year, the last time the two met. Then, the Murcian won in three sets (6-4, 7-6(4) and 6-2).
Djokovic tries to end the curse in the Grand Slam
Serbian Novak Djokovic He stood up to all the “experts” who declared him finished. and, with a great victory over Jannik Sinner, in five sets and after four hours and ten minutes, he returned a year later, from the 2024 Wimbledon final that he lost to Alcaraz, to the final of a major.
The 38-year-old player from Belgrade aims to end the recent curse in the Grand Slam for more than two seasons, since he won his twenty-fourth crown at the 2023 United States Open. Although he was later an Olympic champion, he has had no success on the circuit since that time in New York. Last year, 2025, he was a semi-finalist in all of them. But he didn’t give it much more.
Novak Djokovic is now one step away from becoming the oldest winner in the tournament’s history. He has already won ten in Melbourne and He has between an eyebrow and an eyebrow to become the most successful tennis player, man or woman, in this sport..
