Before the most anticipated match of the 2025 Australian Open—and one of the most anticipated matches, to be sure, of this next calendar year—the question of age loomed large. Would Novak Djokovic at age 37 be able to overcome the youthful exuberance of his 21-year-old opponent, Carlos Alcaraz? Perhaps, in retrospect, the question should've been flipped on its head. Would Alcaraz have the maturity and composure to compete with the accumulated experience of the man on the other side of the net?
In still another remarkable performance, and in what must be considered at least a semiclassic quarterfinal, Djokovic defeated Alcaraz at the Australian Open, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4. It was a rollicking win for the 10-time champion and puts him two matches away from setting the all-time record, male and female, for majors won with 25.
For the first 45 minutes, the situation looked grim for Djokovic as Alcaraz scored a break of serve and closed out the first set with his youthful and powerful tennis. Compounding matters, Djokovic looked to be contending with a leg injury. We’ve seen this movie before, however. Physical malady doesn’t stop Djokovic, it just encourages him to switch tactics. Shortening points and dialing in his serve by necessity, he stole the second set, won the third and scored an early break in the fourth. After one of the most sensational points you’ve ever seen went to Alcaraz, Djokovic was left panting on the sidelines. But, as ever, he got a second wind and closed out this victory, his 382nd in a major, in a match that spanned 3 hours and 37 minutes, ending past 1 a.m. local time.
STOP IT, YOU TWO 🤯
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2025
Tennis from another planet between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz! 👏@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/mZ2TcJBEGl
Although this was only a quarterfinal match there was significant history on the line. There always is with Djokovic. Had he lost, he would have gone to 1–3 against Alcaraz in majors. More importantly, he would've been thwarted for the fifth major in a row and speculation that he was done winning the biggest trophies would've reached a crescendo. Had Alcaraz lost, which, of course, he did, it would mean two consecutive defeats to Djokovic—the last being the Olympic gold medal match in Paris in August—and the inevitable question, how can this guy be a legendary player when he struggles to beat a 37-year-old man?
Alcaraz will win many more majors. And this Australian Open defeat will sting more than it will crush. But it did reveal there are still levels for him to achieve. Spraying his shots, he committed 40 unforced errors, and serving erratically, he didn’t play a particularly organized match. This is a fatal flaw against Djokovic, who has the mental agility and ability to rise to the occasion like no other player perhaps in the sport’s history.
Further, while it is a player doing the work, not the coach, it is worth remarking that Andy Murray is now 5–0 sitting courtside for Djokovic. They have been close to the vest about how precisely Murray is helping Djokovic. But whether it's mental fortitude, a few bits of data or some tactical advice, one can’t argue with the results. Djokovic will now have a day to recover before another hard match, a semifinal against Alexander Zverev of Germany, the No. 2 seed who advanced by beating American Tommy Paul in four sets. It's worth noting that Zverev is a decade younger than Djokovic. If he has any chance of winning, he will have to act his age.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Novak Djokovic’s Maturity Overcomes Carlos Alcaraz’s Youth at Australian Open.
