Like Roman soldiers, tennis gladiators Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are vowing no surrender after setting up an Australian Open final for the ages.
Separated by 16 years in age but sharing the same unbreakable will, wizardry skills and desire, Alcaraz and Djokovic are fighting for a special place in the sporting record books tonight.
Rod Laver Arena will be the two combatants’ colosseum as 22-year-old Alcaraz strives to become the youngest man to complete a fabled career grand slam and Djokovic, at almost 39, bids for an unprecedented 25th singles major.
The stakes could not be higher.
Novak Djokovic found the energy to beat Jannik Sinner in five sets. (Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)
“Obviously for Carlos, because of his age and everything that he was able to achieve so far, history is on the line for both of us every time we play,” Djokovic said after winding back the clock and ending the title defence of two-time champion Jannik Sinner at almost 2:00am yesterday.
“The finals of a grand slam, you know, there’s a lot at stake, but it’s no different from any other big match that I play.
“My preparation is as it should be, and I won against him last year here, also in a gruelling (quarter-final) match. Let’s see. Let’s see how fresh are we both able to be.”
Djokovic needed four hours and nine minutes to see Sinner off, saving 16 of 18 break points in what may have been the finest clutch display of the super Serb’s incomparable career.
The seismic victory took an immeasurable physical and mental toll, with Djokovic offering “no predictions” of how his body will recover.
But, driven by the doubters, the former world number one is only promising one last stand in pursuit of the exclamation mark to the most decorated CV in men’s tennis history.
“He also had a big match, but he has 15, 16 years on me,” Djokovic said of Alcaraz’s own five-hour, 27-minute five-set semi-final triumph earlier on Friday over Alexander Zverev.
“Biologically, it’s going to be a bit easier for him to recover. But, yeah, I look forward to it.
“Look, I play tennis competitively mainly to be able to reach the finals of grand slams. Here I am, so I cannot complain about anything.”
Already a six-time time major winner, boasting two titles each from Wimbledon and the French and US Opens, Alcaraz is contesting his first final at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic is playing his 11th on Rod Laver Arena, his personal battle ground where no man has conquered the Serb in a title match and where Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Dominic Thiem, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga have all fallen on their swords trying.
Carlos Alcaraz was titanic in overcoming Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. (Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)
Alcaraz, though, shapes as the Melbourne Park king’s fiercest challenger yet, having already dethroned Djokovic at Wimbledon and shown in fighting through cramps to deny Zverev that he does not know when or how to yield.
“I just hate giving up. Just how I could feel after all. I just don’t want to feel that way,” the indomitable Spaniard said after battling back from 5-3 down in the deciding set against the German third seed.
Alcaraz prevails in ultimate match of margins
“There are some moments that it seems like, ‘OK, I’m just giving up or just I’m not fighting at all’, which, when I was younger, there were a lot of matches that I just didn’t want to fight anymore or just I gave up.
“Then I just got mature, and I just hate that feeling after all.
“(Now I’m) thinking I could do it or I could do a little bit more or I could suffer a little bit more, that feeling of just kill myself.
“Every step more, every just one second more of suffering, one second more of fighting is always worth it.
“So that’s why I just fight until the last ball and always believe that I can come back in every situation.”
On age and form, Alcaraz is the favourite.
But he was the fancy at Roland Garros too in 2024 when Djokovic defied the experts to complete the golden slam with an against-the-odds Olympics final triumph on the Paris clay against the reigning French Open champ.
Now Alcaraz, the current world number one, is in Djokovic’s house trying to add the final piece of his own storied slam.
Both want it bad, but only one can prevail.
“I would choose this one,” Alcaraz said of the trophy he craves most.
“Yeah, if I make the final of the other three, I would say I would rather win this one than the three and complete the grand slam and be the youngest ever to do it.”
AAP