WHO: Carlos Alcaraz vs. Novak Djokovic
What: Men’s Singles Final – Australian Open 2026
when: Sunday 1 February at 19:30 (08:30 GMT)
Where: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live text and photo stream will begin at 05:30 GMT

Novak Djokovic is just one step away from cementing his status as the greatest tennis player of all time. However, Carlos Alcaraz was in his way – a modern opponent looking for a career milestone of his own.

Tennis history will be rewritten when the two meet in the 2026 Australian Open men’s singles final on Sunday.

Djokovic is seeking his 25th Grand Slam title to overtake Margaret Court to join the list of all-time Grand Slam winners in the Open era, while Alcaraz, 16 years his junior, is hoping to become the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the only title that has eluded his trophy cabinet.

The 38-year-old Serbian is already the oldest man to qualify for a Grand Slam final, but he will be looking to make the most of his performance in Sunday’s sensational final to win a record 25th men’s title.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz, the last man to beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2024, is aiming to turn his first Australian Open final into the night he seals a career Grand Slam.

The pair came into the match on the back of an epic semifinal win on Rod Laver Arena on Friday, with top-seeded and world No. 1 Alcaraz having a slightly longer recovery period than fourth-seeded Djokovic.

What is the tennis rivalry between Alcaraz and Djokovic?

In the five years since his first Grand Slam main draw appearance, Alcaraz has quickly become the face of men’s tennis, with his brief history with the iconic Djokovic often viewed as an intergenerational hand-off rivalry.

Alcaraz is known for his speed and power, while Djokovic relies on his experience, consistency and toughness to hold off the next generation of tennis talent.

The young Spaniard first faced Djokovic at the 2022 Madrid Open, where the home favorite defeated the veteran in straight sets.

The two met five times in Grand Slam events since then, with Alcaraz winning the final twice, but Djokovic triumphed at the Olympics to complete his career Super Slam.

Overall, the Serbs outscore their opponents five to four in nine meetings.

Alcaraz vs Djokovic: Head to Head

Career win-loss record

• Djokovic: 1163/233
• Alcaraz: 280/65

Professional title:

• Djokovic: 101
• Alcaraz: 24

Career Bonuses:

• Djokovic: $191.2 million
• Alcaraz: $60 million

Year since becoming a professional player:

• Djokovic: 2003
• Alcaraz: 2018

Alcaraz in the majors

Title: 6

French Open: 2024, 2025

Wimbledon: 2023, 2024

U.S. Open: 2022, 2025

Djokovic in Grand Slam

Title: 24

Australian Open: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023

French Open: 2016, 2021, 2023

Wimbledon: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022

U.S. Open: 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023

Who won the last Alcaraz-Djokovic match?

The last time they met was in the semi-finals of the 2025 US Open, where eventual champion Alcaraz was too strong for four-time champion Djokovic.

The match ended with Alcaraz winning with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

How did Alcaraz reach the 2026 Australian Open final?

An ailing Alcaraz reached his first Australian Open final after an epic five-set battle with Alexander Zverev that lasted five hours and 27 minutes. The world number one battled cramps in the scorching heat to defeat the German third seed.

Road to the finals:

• Round 1: Defeated Adam Walton 6-3, 7-6(7-2), 6-2
• Second round: Defeated Yannick Hanfmann 7-6(7-4), 6-3, 6-2
• Third round: Defeated Corentin Moutet 6-2, 6-4, 6-1
• Fourth round: Defeated Tommy Paul 7-6(7-6), 6-4, 7-5
• Quarterfinals: defeated Alex De Minaur 7-5, 6-2, 6-1
• Semifinals: Defeated Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5

How did Djokovic reach the 2026 Australian Open final?

Earlier on Saturday, Djokovic shocked defending champion Jannik Sinner, with the veteran coming from behind to beat the Italian in a match that lasted four hours and nine minutes.

Road to the finals:

• Round 1: Defeated Pedro Martinez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
• Second round: defeated Francesco Mastrelli 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
• Third round: Botik van der Zamschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
• Round 4: Easily defeats Jakub Mensik
• Quarterfinals: defeated Lorenzo Musetti 4-6, 3-6, 3-1
• Semifinals: defeated Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4

What are your thoughts on the Djokovic-Alcaraz Australian Open final?

Tennis experts, fans and former champions have been weighing in on what promises to be a modern epic.

Rafael Nadal: “I think the favorite is Carlos. He’s young, he’s dynamic and he’s in his prime. But I mean, Novak is Novak. He’s a very special player. I think that’s a positive example of commitment and resilience. Novak’s not in his prime for obvious reasons, but he’s still very, very competitive at an age where it’s hard to be very competitive. So all respect.”

Andy Roddick: “A man regrets inspiring a child.”

How much is the prize money for the Australian Open champion?

The men’s singles champion and runner-up will receive US$2.9 million and US$1.5 million respectively of the US$78.1 million tournament prize money.

How to live stream and follow the 2026 Australian Open Finals?

Preparations for the final on Al Jazeera will begin at 05:30 GMT, followed by live scores, photos and text commentary from 08:30 GMT.