Alcaraz and Djokovic look for their piece of history in Australia

The Murcian surpassed himself in the Australian event, where until this week he had not made it past the quarterfinals, with the clear objective of breaking another record in his young but incredible career. In 2026 he asked for one wish above any other: to complete the ‘Grand Slam’ and, at 22 years old, he has the one he needs within reach.

After winning Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open twice, in his first campaign without Juan Carlos Ferrero on his bench, the tennis player from El Palmar has been able to shine in Melbourne more than ever. The unexpected breakup in his team did not affect the performance of Alcaraz, who did not give up a set until an epic semifinal against Alexander Zverev this Friday.

The world number one was on the ropes against an opponent who was also in tune in the first ‘big’ of the season and held his own despite the attack of cramps in the third set. The Murcian recovered his best version, but the German was able to defeat him after more than five hours, with a serve to win in the fifth set.

Alcaraz won the longest ‘semi’ in Australia and, after being number one at the age of 19, defending titles in Paris and London, winning eight tournaments in 2025 or being the youngest to play in the four Grand Slam finals, the Spaniard wants to complete a legendary track record with a seventh ‘great’ that would close the circle.

Also being the youngest with the four most prestigious trophies in tennis under his belt, sharpens the winning mentality of an Alcaraz who has more than responded to the comparisons that, six years ago, put the pressure of being the new Rafa Nadal on the Murcian. The Murcian will try to take advantage of the opportunity, although it seems clear that more will come, against a surreal Djokovic.

This is how the Serbian qualified his ticket to the final, beyond rationality, beating the current double champion, a Sinner who had swept him in the previous five duels. The one from Belgrade, surpassed by the youth and power of the new order in recent events, does not want to hear the word ‘retirement’, and won another five-set thriller this unforgettable tennis Friday in Melbourne.

‘Nole’, who has not won a ‘major’ since the 2023 US Open, aspires to surpass the record of Margaret Court, who will undoubtedly be in the stands, winning the long-awaited 25th ‘Grand Slam’ title. At 38 years old, after 101 titles and 428 weeks as world number one, the ten-time champion in Australia’s ambition to be considered the best in history has no end, or perhaps it will this Sunday.

After the Alcaraz-Sinner that dominated the last two years, Djokovic returns to the fore, trusting that he will have fuel left for the final battle thanks to the divine wink of the withdrawals of Jakub Mensik and, above all, Lorenzo Musetti in his path. It will be the tenth duel between the Spaniard and the Serbian (4-5), notches from each other like the Wimbledon finals won by the Murcian or the Olympic one won by the one from Belgrade, and a Sunday with the history of tennis at stake that can erase them all.