Watching Novak Djokovic, the world’s third-ranked player at age 38, outlast two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in a five-set Australian Open semifinal was inspiring. Djokovic overcame a 14-year age gap to defeat the 24-year-old Italian, one of the game’s purest ball strikers, a player who always seems perfectly balanced when unloading from the baseline. It was like watching a 36-year-old Muhammad Ali, well past his prime, defeat the powerful young (25) Olympics gold medalist Leon Spinks in 1978.
Sinner entered the match riding a 19-match winning streak and looked nearly unbeatable on a surface he loves. At 6’ 3,” with no obvious weaknesses, he's the full package—except that there's been some chirping that his fitness level isn't up to the grueling challenges of a five-setter. Djokovic, by contrast, has built his career on exactly that terrain, compiling a remarkable 41–11 record in five-set matches—a testament as much to his mental resilience as to his physical conditioning.
Djokovic fans, however, probably found it hard to savor the unlikely victory for long, given that the Serb’s opponent in the championship on February 1 would be world number one Carlos Alcaraz, a five-tool player—power, speed, touch, improvisation, mentality. There's nothing missing there, and he's still several years away from his prime. At 22, he's already won seven Grand Slam singles titles. With his latest, the Spaniard became the youngest man in history to complete a career Grand Slam by winning all four majors at least once.
Alcaraz, a power player off both the ground and the serve, is blessed with the silky hands of John McEnroe and the piston legs of Rafael Nadal. The speed demon from El Palmar—hardly one of Spain’s flashy tennis hubs—is among the three fastest players on the tour. Djokovic’s previous 10 Australian Open men’s singles championships weren’t flukes, but a guy nearing 40—even someone with his impeccable physical regime—can't match the “recovery time” of someone who couldn't buy a legal drink in the U.S. until last year. On top of that, Alcaraz needed only four sets to eliminate Alexander Zverev in the semis, and Djokovic’s match didn't start until that one had ended. Every single hour of rest in this situation is a big deal.
The upcoming championship match between the tennis GOAT and the hyper-talented upstart (John McEnroe has said he’s never seen a player this good at this age) was the main storyline of this tournament, but the fans had already been treated to the coming-out party for a 20-year-old American left-hander who still lives with his family. Learner Tien, who entered the tourney as the number 25 seed (his first time seeded at a Grand Slam), reached the quarterfinals, where he lost to Zverev in four tough sets—his career-best performance at a major.
Tien’s a fast learner, as the last American his age to reach the quarters of a major was Andy Roddick in 2002. Prior to the Zverev match, the Irvine, California native dismissed 22-time ATP tour title winner Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, including handing the Russian his first-ever bagel (6-0 set loss) at a Grand Slam event.
Tien showed composure at the tournament, both on the court and behind the microphone. When a British journalist asked him a “gotcha” question referring to ICE, he simply said, "Sorry, I don’t really want to talk about that right now." Veteran tour players could learn media savvy from this kid.
My hunch about Djokovic’s fate came true. Carlos Alcaraz won his first Australian Open by defeating him 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 7–5. Alcaraz started off looking out of sync, but adjusted aggressively, as champions do. Djokovic’s error count rose. Alcaraz consolidated his momentum in the third set, and while Djokovic pushed him hard in the next one, he didn't have enough to turn it into a five-setter.
The historic conclusion of the first Grand Slam tournament of 2026 provides insights into the current state of men's tennis. The final was a symbolic passing of the torch from one era to the next. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have already retired, meaning Djokovic's the only “Big Three” member still there. Carlos Alcaraz, the D’Artagnan of his sport, handed Djokovic his first loss in an Australian Open final, ruining his perfect 10–0 championship match record. The Spaniard is now becoming the player around whom men’s tennis revolves. His physicality, tactical variety, and mental resilience on big stages has brought him to this point. His aggressive, forward-moving style and feathery touch add a welcome element of interest and variety to a sport that's come to be defined by sometimes monotonous baseline-heavy rallies that often end by attrition.
Alcaraz’s exuberant personality is in stark contrast to Jannik Sinner’s all-business, buttoned-down affect on the court. Stoic and deadly, he's a professional at work. His budding rivalry with Alcaraz, with its personality and playing style differences, is starting to resemble the decades-old one between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.
While Novak Djokovic still wants another major title, something he hasn’t won since 2023, his performance in Melbourne suggested that his future may be governed less by results than by motivation and physical tolerance. There’s no real precedent for a player competing at this level so deep into his late-30s, which makes prediction difficult. Another season without a Grand Slam win might logically point toward retirement, but Djokovic has rarely followed logical timelines or expectations. Perhaps moving from invincibility to vulnerability may simply mark a new phase offering just another challenge to overcome.
World number four Alexander Zverev’s also still in the hunt. Now 28, he has all the tools to win a Grand Slam tournament, but something's holding the 6’ 6” Russian-German back when it's on the line. All signs point to that something being in his head, something that's often harder to fix than the body.
Lerner Tien's progress will be fun to follow as the year unfolds, especially for American fans—almost as much fun as seeing what Carlos Alcaraz, as electric a tennis player as they come, is going to accomplish.