Spanish phenom Carlos Alcaraz has etched his name into tennis immortality, becoming the youngest man in history to complete the career Grand Slam with a landmark victory at the Australian Open.
The 22-year-old world number one clinched his maiden title in Melbourne on Sunday, defeating legendary rival Novak Djokovic in the final.
The triumph secured his seventh major championship and completed his set of all four major trophies, the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, just six years after turning professional.
In doing so, Alcaraz surpassed his idol, 22-time major winner Rafael Nadal, who achieved the career Grand Slam at age 24. Alcaraz also overtook American great Don Budge, who held the previous age record in the pre-Open era. He now stands alongside icons Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, and Rod Laver as only the sixth man to achieve the feat in the Open era.
Watched from the stands by Nadal himself, Alcaraz impressed his dominance in the sport’s biggest moments. He has now won five of the last eight Grand Slam tournaments and boasts a staggering 7-1 record in major finals.
“Every year that I came to Australia I was thinking about winning but it didn’t happen. This year, I was hungry for more,” Alcaraz said after his historic win. “It is a dream come true.”
