AUS Open Highlights: Carlos Alcaraz lifts trophy, Novak Djokovic thanks fans after an epic final

Well, that's the end of our coverage from the first Grand Slam of the year.

Here's the match report by Sabysachi Choudhary.

And, here's what Novak Djokovic had to say after losing the Australian Open final for the first time in his life.

Good night. Good bye.

A beautiful ceremony comes to an end in the Australian Open. It was a brief but sweet ceremony where the Australian Open crowned a new champion.

Somedev Devvarman says that Carlos Alcaraz is the greatest thing to happen to tennis since the Big 3.

Carlos Alcaraz's first Grand Slams

US Open: 2022

Wimbledon: 2023

French Open: 2024

Australian Open: 2026

How many Grand Slams does Alcaraz have?

7 in total

• Australian Open: 2026
• French Open: 2024, 2025
• Wimbledon: 2023, 2024
• US Open: 2022, 2025

Did a section of the crowd just jeer at Alcaraz as he started to speak after his maiden Australian Open triumph?

"I guess it's fair," says Alcaraz, considering he just downed the 10-time champion.

Alcaraz straightaway praises Djokovic and the crowd cheers.

"What you do is inspiring. Not only for tennis players but for everybody. The way you work... thank you very much for everything you are doing."

"My off season was an emotional rollercoaster. But we did the right work, the right things. I'm grateful for everyone I have in my corner at the moment. This trophy is yours. Nobody apart from you knows how hard I have worked."

The Australian Open crowd cheers for Novak Djokovic as he comes up to speak after the final.

"Carlos, what you are doing is historic and legendary. You have a lot of time left in your career. And I am sure that I will see you many more times in the next 10 years (jokes)."

The crowd has burst out in laughter at that.

What a calm and composed personality Djokovic is. GOAT for a reason!

"Then I have to speak to the legendary Rafa in the stands. Obviously, it is weird to see you there (stands) and not here (on court). It was an honour to share the court with you. Too many Spanish legends, I felt like I was playing 2 against 1 in this match."

"I have tried to give it back with good tennis over the years. I always believe in myself, that is something, I believe is truly needed. Especially when you are playing against the quality of Carlos and Jannik. Honestly, I did not think that I would be standing in the grand ceremony of a Grand Slam ever again. So I need to thank you guys for pushing me throughout my journey."

It is incredible to think that this is Novak Djokovic's first ever loss in the Australian Open finals. He was spotless (10-0) in the Australian Open, and at the age of 38, finally gets beaten by a younger player.

Djokovic should be proud. He should be very, very proud of what he has achieved!

Thank you for the dominance GOAT, but you would be happy to know that tennis is in good hands.

Carlos Alcaraz has done it!

He has won his Career Slam. At the age of 22, Carlos Alcaraz becomes the youngest man to win Career Slam in Men's tennis!

And what a way to do it as well. Breaks Djokovic's serve in the 12th game of the fourth set to win the Australian Open in 3 hours and 2 minutes.

After showing incredible defiance, after believing that he can do it, Novak Djokovic hits his backhand long down. Alcaraz is elated and lies down on the mat of the Rod Laver Arena!

He has done it!

He has beaten the best that there is in the Australian Open.

A new chapter of tennis history is about to be written.

Carlos Alcaraz is about to break Novak Djokovic's serve.

Excellent! Excellent from Novak Djokovic!

He missed his smash in the first point of this game, and it looked like he might not be in the mind-space any more. But Djokovic makes a strong comeback.

He is dishing out those venomous backhands and forcing Alcaraz into the edges of the court. Djokovic wins the 10th game, and levels out Alcaraz.

He buys himself a little more time in the fourth set.

This is surely heading towards a tie-break.

Is there a comeback on the cards!

Defiant Novak Djokovic is staying in the fight. He has suddenly upped his intensity and the crowd is loving it.

Djokovic plays some sensational returns against Alcaraz while receiving the serve, and points towards the crowd, urging them to rally behind him.

Alcaraz is unsettled by Djokovic's deep returns and for the first time in a while is forced to go 40-40 on his own serving game!

However, Alcaraz manages to hold his serve and lets a roar out of his own. Rod Laver falls silent again.

Alcaraz is ahead 5-4 in the fourth set, and Djokovic will now serving to save this match.

Both players have held their serves. Djokovic is doing very well to stay in his service game. Alcaraz on the other hand is playing deft backhand slices and drops on his own serves and winning the points with finesse.

There's no difference between the two as Alcaraz leads 4-3 after his service game, but you can sense that a break is coming.

But it will be a difficult one from Alcaraz, because Novak is serving really well now.

Carlos Alcaraz serves out two aces to Novak Djokovic to hold him to a love game!

He rolls over Djokovic and goes up 3-2 in the fourth set.

But Djokovic has slightly got his mojo back and will be interesting to see if he can make a comeback.

Djokovic finally looks dominant for once!

This is the first time since the opening set where Djokovic has looked like he can hold his own against Alcaraz.

He wins the game holding Alcaraz to 40-0. He serves well and defends well, in a classic Djokovic style. A little bit is down to Alcaraz as well perhaps, who is complacent and hits multiple shots into the net.

Is there a way back for Djokovic here?

The crowd goes wild after Novak Djokovic just about manages to hold his service game.

The umpire gives a stern warning to the audience.

Things are looking ominous for Novak Djokovic at the start of the fourth set.

Carlos Alcaraz is toying with the Serbian. He is making Djokovic more shots in every single point, tiring him out further.

It is incredible discipline from Alcaraz that, in Djokovic's service games, he is not trying to hit any winners at all. He is playing neutral shots, allowing Djokovic to get back in the game.

This has meant that there have been 6 deuces so far in the second game of the fourth set, and Novak looks extremely tired after finall winning the game.

Both players hold serve. There are Novak-Novak chants at the Rod Laver Arena in the fourth set.

Djokovic 1-1 Alcaraz in 4th set. Alcaraz leads 2 sets to 1.

Who are the youngest to win Career Grand Slam 

• Steffi Graf: 19 years, 69 days 
• Rafael Nadal: 24 years, 102 days

Alcaraz is now 22 years, 8 months and 27 days old, and will turn 23 in May 2003.

If he wins this match, he will become the youngest men's player to win all Grand Slams in the Open Era.

This is what Akshay is talking about. Check out this point.

Very interesting observation from Akshay on how Alcaraz has made Djokovic run more in the men's singles final.

"Alcaraz has played it very smart. He has tired Djokovic out. The stats are showing that he played only 25 percent of his backhand shots down the line, which means majority were cross courts, making Djokovic run more."

Wow! What a turn of events in that game!

Novak Djokovic did so well to go from 0-40 down to level the game. He had an advantage twice but ended up squandering the game.

Djokovic's shot-making, which brought him back in contention, let's him down in the final game of the third set.

What are the shots that went wrong?

Djokovic hits his down the line forehand wide.

The Serbian hits the forehand cross-court straight into the net.

You can tell that Novak is tiring. But he is trying very very hard to not let it get away easily.

Australian Open Final: Carlos Alcaraz now leads 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 after three sets.

Carlos Alcaraz is playing his full repertoire of shots now, almost.

Djokovic is struggling to move towards the net, and Alcaraz is employing those backhand slices to put him in trouble.

Akshay Ramesh is saying that the only way for Djokovic to survive this is to take the aggressive route against Alcaraz's serves.

"He will need to go big on Alcaraz’s serves. He needs to play aggressively to try and trouble him. Can’t be passive in Alcaraz’s service games. And in terms of movement, he can’t match Alcaraz. So he needs to take risks and try and find the lines more consistently with his groundstrokes. But, it’s easier said than done."

The fighter in Novak Djokovic is not letting this go.

Serves well down the T and catches Alcaraz off guard, who was hoping for the balls to go wide of him.

The Serbian stays in the shadow of Alcaraz by winning the game. He now trails 3-4.

The question now is, what are the skills that he is going to employ to hit back at Alcaraz. Because Alcaraz is two notches faster than him at the moment.