Djokovic's Private Words to Alcaraz After Historic Australian Open Final Revealed
In a poignant display of sportsmanship, Novak Djokovic shared a private moment with Carlos Alcaraz following the Spaniard's historic victory in the Australian Open final. The world number one fought back from a set down to defeat the ten-time former champion 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 7-5, before collapsing to the court in sheer disbelief at his achievement.
A Heartbreaking Defeat and Historic Triumph
The match represented a particularly heartbreaking defeat for Djokovic, who had never been closer to securing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam crown. Instead, Alcaraz etched his name into tennis folklore by becoming the youngest man ever to complete the career Grand Slam, a remarkable feat that solidifies his place among the sport's elite.
Despite the disappointment, Djokovic demonstrated exceptional grace by immediately approaching the net to embrace his victorious opponent after the final point. The pair exchanged quiet words as they made their way back to their respective benches, a moment that has now been revealed by the newly-crowned champion.
The Embrace of Mutual Respect
Alcaraz has opened up about that touching embrace, describing it as being fundamentally about respect between two competitors at the pinnacle of their sport. The Spanish sensation revealed that Djokovic simply told him, 'Congratulations, you deserve it', to which Alcaraz responded, 'It is always a pleasure'.
"It is always a pleasure to share the court with him, even more especially if it is in a final for a Grand Slam; it doesn't matter if I won this time," Alcaraz explained. "Every time that I'm able to feel that aura from him on the other side of the net, for me it's a privilege. It's an honour, and it is like a masterclass for me to try to learn as much as I can."
The seven-time Grand Slam champion continued: "I have huge respect for him as an athlete, as a person, and I'm just really grateful to be able to live experiences on and off the court. That embrace was about respect, I guess."
Alcaraz Praises Djokovic's Inspirational Career
This mutual admiration was further evident during Alcaraz's victory speech, where he praised Djokovic's inspirational career and reiterated these sentiments in his post-match press conference. The young champion predicted a successful season ahead for the Serbian legend, despite this particular setback.
"As I said in the speech, what he's doing is inspiring. It is inspiring for all athletes; it's not just for tennis players," Alcaraz shared. "Even myself, what he's putting his body and his mind, his life, [through] to feel playing a final of a Grand Slam again, going against everyone saying that he was not going to play another Grand Slam final or he was not going to beat Jannik [Sinner] or myself."
Alcaraz expressed amazement at Djokovic's performance: "Then he comes and plays great tennis, beats Jannik in the semi-final, and here in the final, he plays great tennis. It's unbelievable what he's doing. If he maintains this level of tennis during the whole season, he's going to win great things, probably a Masters 1000 [tournament] again."
The Spaniard concluded with confidence in his rival's future prospects: "He's going to come to a Grand Slam final again. It depends on how physically he is or how demanding the tournament is physically for him, but I think he's ready to keep winning the big tournaments on the tour."
Silencing the Critics with Historic Achievement
Alcaraz's victory was particularly significant as it came amid considerable scrutiny following his decision to part ways with long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero during the off-season. The move ended a highly successful seven-year partnership that had guided him to multiple Grand Slam titles, leaving many pundits questioning how the young star would cope without the former world number one's guidance.
The Spanish sensation answered those doubts emphatically by lifting the Australian Open trophy and achieving the historic milestone of becoming the youngest player ever to claim all four Grand Slam titles. This achievement represents a spectacular response to his critics and demonstrates his remarkable resilience and talent.
"It was a different preseason for me, so I just had to come back from an unusual situation for me, which was difficult," Alcaraz admitted. "A lot of people were talking about everything and doubting my level in this tournament. I didn't think about those people who had doubts about it. I came here just playing for myself, playing for my team."
The champion reflected on his preparation and mindset: "We all know how hard I worked in the preseason to be ready for this tournament, and I had too many things to think about during this tournament. Just focus on my game style, focus on myself, being passionate, and that's all I thought about during this tournament, but once I get it, I'm just happy to prove all the people were wrong."
This historic victory, coupled with the touching moment of sportsmanship shared with his rival, underscores the remarkable character and talent of both players as they continue to shape the future of tennis.
