Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz (ranked 1st) and Serbian Novak Djokovic (ranked 4th) will face each other in the final of the Australian Open this Sunday. This will be the fifth time they compete for a title. Alcaraz advanced to the final by defeating German Alexander Zverev (ranked 3rd) in a marathon semifinal, while Djokovic pulled off a major upset by eliminating Italian Jannik Sinner (ranked 2nd), who had defeated him in their last five encounters. The final this Sunday will be the fifth between Alcaraz and Djokovic, and every time they have met in a final, they have captivated the public and created unforgettable moments. The first final between Alcaraz and Djokovic took place at Wimbledon 2023, when the Spanish player sealed a stunning victory in a thrilling match with a score of 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. This victory allowed Alcaraz to break the hegemony of the 'Big Four'—Djokovic, Spanish Rafael Nadal, Swiss Roger Federer, and British Andy Murray—who had shared the titles in the previous 19 editions of Wimbledon. Just a few months later, Djokovic managed to take his revenge by defeating Alcaraz in the final of the Cincinnati Masters 1000. That match, which ended with a score of 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4), lasted 3 hours and 49 minutes and is considered one of the best best-of-three-set matches in history. The following year, Alcaraz once again demonstrated his prowess on the Wimbledon grass, defeating Djokovic in a final where he barely gave him any chances. The Spaniard, who was winning his fourth Grand Slam title at the time, secured the victory with a solid 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4). The last time they faced each other in a final was at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. On that occasion, tennis witnessed one of its most emotional days when a recently knee-operated Djokovic played one of the best matches of his career and made history by winning 7-6(3), 7-6(2) to claim the only major title missing from his career. In this Sunday's final, which will be live-covered by the Argentine News Agency, there is more at stake than just a title. If Alcaraz wins, he will become the youngest player to achieve the career Grand Slam. If Djokovic wins, he would secure his 25th 'Major' title, surpassing the 24 held by Australian Margaret Court.
