Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic Edge Epics to Make Final Date
Australian Open
January 30, 2026
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic created magical moments and exquisite drama in Melbourne on Friday.
Alcaraz and Djokovic are the perfect showmen. Both played to the crowd and never gave up – even when their bodies appeared to be failing them.
Will Alcaraz now become the youngest man to win all four Grand Slam titles in the open era?
Or will Novak become the most prolific Grand Slam winner of all time by winning that elusive 25th and eleventh in Australia?
Djokovic fought back tears as he said: ‘I’m lost for words right now. It feels surreal to be honest. Playing more than four hours. The level of intensity and quality of tennis was extremely high.
‘Jannik won the last five matches against me. He had my number so I had to change it for tonight.’
Djokovic saved an incredible sixteen out of eighteen break points and hit the ball harder than ever before. Now for Alcaraz.
Novak said: ‘I saw Carlos before my match and now I’m looking forward to seeing him again. I just hope I’ll have enough gas to stay toe to toe with the number one in the world.’
Both men required five sets to prevail in marvellous semi-finals against courageous opponents.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will keep on putting heart and soul into their sporting art – all the way to Wimbledon 2026.
But for several nervous moments in Melbourne, it looked as though Carlitos was going to have to wave a premature farewell to the Australian Open.
The semi-final against Sascha Zverev had been following most people’s script. Alcaraz was two sets ahead and closing in for the kill.
But just as Sinner had suffered acutely earlier in this same tournament, so the Spaniard began to feel chronic cramp in his legs.
Somehow Alcaraz was allowed a medical time-out – a luxury normally reserved for injuries only. Zverev screamed and swore at the injustice of it all. He did so to no avail.
The tide had turned in the German’s favour, though. He won the next two sets and played gutsy, lights-out tennis in the fifth.
Stubbornly, however, Alcaraz had always stayed in touch. The cramps had gradually left his body as soon as the court was cast into shadow.
Every time Carlitos won a game or an impossible point, he milked the crowd and demanded more love from the vast Rod Laver Arena. Crucially, he never lost faith in his own ability.
Carlos Alcaraz has possessed that supreme faith in his extraordinary talent since the day he won his first major. We’ll see that self-belief in action again at Wimbledon 2026, no doubt.
And how he needed that defiance as he fought to stay alive at the Australian Open when Zverev served for the match!
Alcaraz explained later how he turned the tables and won his Melbourne semi-final when all seemed lost.
‘Believing all the time,’ he said simply. ‘I always say you have to believe in yourself, no matter what you have been through.
‘This was one of the most demanding matches I have ever played. I had to put my heart into the match. I’m extremely proud of how I came back.’
After five hours and twenty-seven minutes, a 78th Alcaraz winner landed – and the battle was finally won 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-7 (4-7), 7-5.
In the second semi-final, Jannik Sinner found Novak Djokovic demanding too – because the legendary Serb never stopped believing either.
Djokovic dropped to his knees after sealing a 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph to set up a dream Grand Slam final once more.
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Sascha Zverev will all blow our minds again at Wimbledon 2026.
Will you be there to see the best, while they are all still strutting their stuff at the top of the game?
Get in touch and we’ll arrange your unforgettable experience at Wimbledon 2026!