Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will contest the 2026 Australian Open men's singles final on Sunday night in Melbourne, with history on the line for both players. The 22-year-old Spaniard seeks to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, while the 38-year-old Serb aims for a record 25th major title. Their matchup promises a clash of youth and experience on Rod Laver Arena.
The 2026 Australian Open men's final pits world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz against fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic, set for 8:30 p.m. local time on Rod Laver Arena. Alcaraz, entering his first Australian Open final, advanced by outlasting Alexander Zverev in a grueling five-set semifinal, 6-4, 7-6(6), 6-7(5), 6-7(4), 7-5, that lasted five hours and 27 minutes—the longest semifinal in tournament history. He battled cramps in the later sets but rallied from a 3-5 deficit in the decider to secure victory.
Djokovic, a 10-time champion at Melbourne Park with a perfect 10-0 record in finals here, reached his record-extending 38th Grand Slam final by defeating defending champion Jannik Sinner, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in four hours and nine minutes. The Serb saved 16 of 18 break points, including all eight in the fifth set, snapping a five-match losing streak to Sinner. "I never stopped believing in myself," Djokovic said post-match, crediting doubters for fueling his motivation.
Their head-to-head stands at 5-4 in Djokovic's favor, including a four-set quarterfinal win for the Serb over Alcaraz at the 2025 Australian Open. Recent clashes have been epic: Alcaraz won the 2025 US Open semifinal 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2, while Djokovic triumphed in the 2024 Olympic final 7-6(3), 7-6(2). Alcaraz has won two Wimbledon finals against Djokovic in 2023 and 2024.
Victory for Alcaraz would make him the youngest to complete the career Grand Slam at 22 years and 272 days, surpassing Don Budge's 1938 mark. For Djokovic, a win would eclipse Margaret Court's 24 major titles and make him the oldest Open Era Australian Open champion. Rafael Nadal, attending the event, picked Alcaraz as favorite but praised Djokovic's resilience: "He's still very competitive at an age that is difficult." The ATP rankings will see Alcaraz extend his lead over Sinner to at least 2,650 points, with Djokovic rising to No. 3 regardless of the outcome.
