Australian Open live: ‘Legendary’ Carlos Alcaraz completes career grand slam as Novak Djokovic responds to bitter’ defeat

“It’s a bit weird seeing Rafa in the stands. I think it’s the first time [Nadal watched him compete] as a professional because I know you watched me when I was 14 or 15 years old.

“It’s such an honour playing in front of you, we had great battles on the court and it was an honour sharing the court with you. Thank you for being here.”

“I always believe I can. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be competing. It’s great that I was able to beat Jannik in five and really battle Carlos in four close sets.”

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Jannik Sinner may not have made the final, but Carlos Alcaraz’s victory over Novak Djokovic means the two best players in the world have now nine grand slam titles in a row between them. At Roland Garros, starting in May, they will look to make that 10.

That would put them only second behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (11 between 2005 and 2007) as the longest streak of grand slam singles title won by a pair.

Carlos Alcaraz has won seven of his eight grand slam finals, having won his first five before losing to Jannik Sinner in last year’s Wimbledon.

Three of his victories in grand slam finals have come against Novak Djokovic, with two at Wimbledon followed by the Australian Open, the first time Djokovic had lost an Australian Open after 10 wins.

“He just told me, ‘congratulations, you deserve it’.

“I just told him, like, it is always a pleasure. It is always a pleasure to share the court with him, even more if it is in a final for a grand Slam. Doesn’t matter if this time I won.

“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.

“I have huge respect to 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.”

Carlos Alcaraz said he was happy to prove the doubters wrong after his split from his long-time coach and mentor Juan Carlos Ferrero during the off-season and ahead of the Australian Open.

Alcaraz had won six grand slam titles alongside Ferrero, but made it seven just weeks after their shock split.

”We all know how hard I worked in the preseason to be ready for this tournament,” he said.

“I had too many things to think about during this tournament. Just focus on my game style, focus on myself, being patient.

“That’s all I thought about during this tournament. Once I got it, I’m just happy to prove all the people were wrong.”

“What he’s doing is inspiring. It is inspiring for all the athletes.

“What he’s putting his body, his mind, his life into playing a final of a Grand Slam again, people saying that he was not going to play another Grand Slam final or he was not going to beat Jannik or myself.

“Then he comes and playing such great tennis and beating Jannik in the semi-final, and here in the final played such great tennis. So 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 Master 1000 again. He’s going to come to a Grand Slam final again.

“It depends how physically he is or how demanding physically is the tournament for him, but I think he’s ready to keep winning the big tournaments in the tour.”

After the electric comebacks, the magical shot-making, and the passion, belief and smile that had defined his remarkable ascent, this was the moment where Carlos Alcaraz took the step from generational talent to stand in the pantheon of the greatest tennis players of all time. As Novak Djokovic sensed his opportunity to make history, Alcaraz wrote his own: by winning his first Australian Open title, overturning Djokovic to win 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 and under enormous pressure, Alcaraz becomes the youngest man of all time to complete the career grand slam at 22 years and 272 days.

”I hate losing, so that’s my motivation. Trying to lose as less as I can,” Alcaraz says.

”There are some tournaments that I really wanted to win at least once. A few Masters 1000s… I just really wanted to complete all the Masters 1000s.

Obviously the ATP Finals. The Davis Cup is a goal as well. I really wanted to achieve that for my country, for Spain.

“I set up some other goals for the season, and I will try to be ready to get those goals.”

Novak Djokovic was proud of his record-breaking run to the Australian Open final at the age of 38 but could not hide his disappointment as his bid for a 25th grand slam singles title slipped by in defeat to Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic, though, was left to rue a couple of missed opportunities in the fourth set, particularly on break point at 4-4 when he had a look at Alcaraz’s second serve but dumped a forehand return into the net.