Quick comment: Novak Djokovic may have just missed his best chance to win 25th Grand Slam

Djokovic’s phenomenal feats, to fight and contend with the two best players in the world at the moment at the age of 38, while still attempting to make more history, are immensely creditable in isolation. Rafael Nadal had defeated him at the US Open 16 years ago to become the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam. He was in attendance to watch Carlos Alcaraz, his Spanish heir incumbent, take away that record on Sunday – and he has been tipped to take away many – against the same player across the net.

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The sheer absurdity of that situation was acknowledged by all during the post-match pleasantries, but these niceties are no consolation for the hard-nosed Serb in his perpetual pursuit of more greatness. The four-set defeat will leave him confronting an awkward question: has he just missed his best-ever chance to add to his Grand Slam tally in the twilight of his career? That may explain the wistfulness at the end.

Djokovic may have played a gruelling five setter two days ago, matching and outdoing Jannik Sinner’s power from the baseline for much of the four-hour contest. But there was more gas in his 38-year-old legs than is usually the case going into a Major final: he had benefited from a walkover and win by retirement earlier in the week.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, had spent five-and-a-half hours beating Alexander Zverev and his cramping body on Friday.

The Serb was flying at the start of this match, winning the first set quickly while timing the ball just as well as he had done against Sinner. The cooler night-time temperatures on the Rod Laver Arena – his favourite court – were playing into his hands. A heavier ball was making his searingly accurate serve unreturnable, and the lower bounce was bringing the ball into his strike zone perfectly.

AS IT HAPPENED | NOVAK DJOKOVIC VS CARLOS ALCARAZ AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2026 FINAL

Despite all that, Alcaraz’s delightful mix of flash and grit halted Djokovic’s progress from the second set onwards. Once the Spaniard had a read on the veteran’s second serve, he was all over it. He applied greater topspin and found more angles to make Djokovic uncomfortable, scrambling too far behind or too wide of the baseline.

Ultimately, in the fourth set, the Serb went into survival mode. As he, for the first time, looked out of energy while serving to stay in it, it would have taken a marathon effort to save the set and then play a fifth. He duly capitulated.

The prospect of beating both Sinner and Alcaraz at the business end of a Major requires technical ability and physical resilience. Nobody, let alone a 38-year-old with a recent history of physical issues, can be better placed to do that after spending a shade more than two hours on the court over the preceding six days. Reaching a first Major final in over two years is a positive outcome, but the defeat will rankle nonetheless.