The saga of the Gods of Tennis concludes! Alcaraz becomes the youngest player to achieve a career Grand Slam, while Djokovic, the runner-up in all Grand Slams, is still hailed as great.

Indeed, it's extremely rare for anyone to overcome both Sinner and Alcaraz consecutively at a Grand Slam to win the title, and Djokovic was no exception! When the Spaniard converted a championship point on Djokovic’s serve to clinch the title, many shared this sentiment.

When Djokovic battled through a grueling five-set semifinal against Sinner and then faced Alcaraz in the Australian Open final, many believed that since he had already defeated the toughest opponent, Sinner, Djokovic had a strong chance against Alcaraz. However, bookmakers dampened expectations with odds: Djokovic at 3.5 and Alcaraz at 1.3.

Still, some supporters of Djokovic argued that odds are only a guide; in the semifinal, Serbia’s star was heavily underrated against Sinner but proved the odds wrong. Moreover, Djokovic had never lost an Australian Open final before.

Especially after Djokovic swiftly defeated Alcaraz 6-2 in just 33 minutes, his fans firmly believed he had a great chance to claim his 25th Grand Slam title.

Yet no one expected the match against Alcaraz to unfold as a dramatic upset. Djokovic took the first set without even breaking a sweat, but from the second set onward, the Serbian star’s form inexplicably plummeted. The brilliance from the opening set vanished, and Alcaraz stormed back to win three consecutive sets 6-2, 6-3, and 7-5, overturning Djokovic and becoming the youngest player ever to complete the career Grand Slam in this highly anticipated showdown.

After the match, many found it hard to believe Djokovic lost in such a manner because historically, when he wins the first set in a Grand Slam final, his winning rate is remarkably high, standing at 16 wins to 4 losses.

The last time Djokovic lost a Grand Slam final after winning the first set was at the 2023 Wimbledon final, where Alcaraz was the one who defeated him decisively. People hoped for a different outcome this time, but Djokovic again failed to break this curse, falling just one step short of his 25th Grand Slam as the Spaniard once more toppled him, replaying the heartbreaking scene from three years ago at Wimbledon.

Looking back at the match, the reason Djokovic was considered a strong contender for his 25th Grand Slam wasn’t just his impressive first set, but also because in the fourth set’s ninth game, he earned a break point on Alcaraz’s serve but unfortunately missed it. Had he converted that break and then held his serve to push the match to a fifth set, the final outcome and whether Alcaraz would have triumphed remain highly uncertain.

After missing this golden opportunity for his 25th Grand Slam, many remain silent on whether Djokovic will get another chance. Yet, they pose a poignant question to the public: Djokovic played like a warrior in the first set with moderate resistance, so why did his performance deteriorate from the second set onward? Who can explain what really happened?

After Alcaraz secured the first championship point, he collapsed to the ground in an emotional celebration as predicted. This Australian Open title not only widened his lead over his chasing rival Sinner in the rankings and solidified his world No.1 status but also shattered the record for the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam, previously held by American legend Budge since 1938. Budge set this record at 22 years and 355 days old, while Alcaraz achieved it at just 22 years and 258 days.

The Spaniard’s record surpasses not only Budge from the pre-Open era but also overtakes Nadal, the youngest career Grand Slam winner of the Open era, who was 24 when he achieved the feat. Nadal has now been pushed off the top spot.

While many sympathize with Djokovic’s loss, they also praise Alcaraz’s remarkable resilience under pressure, coming back stronger after losing the first set to ultimately claim the title, truly deserving the title of the youngest player ever to complete a career Grand Slam.

Of course, fans and netizens, though deeply sympathetic toward Djokovic, also emphasize that this Australian Open runner-up finish marks Djokovic’s achievement of being a career Grand Slam finalist, which is a remarkable accomplishment in itself.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit River’s Starry Sky)