Commentary: Australian Open men’s final makes history, Alcaraz vs. Djokovic

Carlos Alcaraz holds the Norman Brooks Challenge Cup after his Australian Open men's singles win. (Credit: Getty Images)

The tennis season kicked off under the Melbourne sun, with the Australian Open (AO) setting the stage for the first Grand Slam of the year.

On Feb. 1, the 114th edition of the Australian Open held its final match between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.

This was a very unexpected but exciting final because it was the first time in the last two years without a final between Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, after his epic defeat against Djokovic in five sets.

I personally love to watch Sinner and Alcaraz play, due to their intensity and 50/50 chance of winning.

They’ve been reaching nearly every final for the past two years, to the point that fans have started shipping them as a couple, which I think is hilarious, especially with all the Challengers movie comparisons.

But eventually, the outcome becomes predictable, as both players are expected to reach the final after consistently outperforming the rest of the players.

So far, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour has been defined by this two-player heated rivalry.

It was nostalgic seeing Djokovic reach the final of a Grand Slam. His last one was in Wimbledon in 2024, after he lost the final against Alcaraz in three sets.

He is the last standing of the Big 3 along with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, making it even harder for die-hard tennis fans, who will miss watching the three competing on a court.

Djokovic, being 38 years old, has sparked curiosity among spectators for his decision not to retire just yet.

However, pressure is increasing and people are dying to know when his last match will be.

As of today, Djokovic has not said anything about any retirement decision, having fans speculating and creating their own theories. 

Alcaraz won the match against Djokovic, winning his first AO title and seventh Grand Slam. He became the youngest player in history to win the four major titles: Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.

This marked a major milestone for Alcaraz as a 22-year-old player, particularly after facing criticism for off-court distractions and ending his partnership with Juan Carlos Ferrero as head coach.

I think fan support during the final was evenly split between Djokovic, who has built a massive fan base and Alcaraz, who has taken over people’s hearts with his charisma and effortless tennis.

However, as in every tournament, there is always some sort of drama and controversy.

During the men’s semifinal between Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, Alcaraz started to feel cramps in his left leg during the third set. It was a 5-hour and 27-minute match. 

These cramps started to spread through his entire body, causing him to ask for a medical timeout.

Zverev was not happy about Alcaraz’s decision, nor about how the ATP allowed this to happen.

During the press conference held after the match, he said, “You can’t take a medical timeout for cramping.”

Zverev and other players have been constantly complaining about the special treatment Alcaraz and Sinner have received on the court.

Tournament rules allow for medical timeouts for injuries, although the decision is up to the physiotherapist attending the player.

Meanwhile, during the third round match against Eliot Spizzirri, Sinner started feeling cramps in the 36 C heat.

Sinner was physically struggling to continue the match when the Australian Open Extreme Heat rules came into effect.

The rules resulted in closing the roof, enabling Sinner to recover and ultimately win the match, while also raising concerns about his permission to leave the court.

Spizzirri was visibly shocked and said, “I was just astonished at the timing of the scale hitting five exactly when it did.”

What are the odds of applying the extreme heat rules exactly at the same time Sinner was struggling with cramps?

Another issue that arose during the tournament was the prohibition of WHOOP devices, which are screenless wristbands that professional athletes use to track their health and fitness.

These devices have become popular among athletes, who wear them during competition and training to improve performance.

Tennis Australia, the main organizer of the AO, confirmed that wrist technology is not permitted at the tournament, as every event has the authority to implement its own regulations independently.

Overall, the AO gave us high-quality matches, controversy, intense emotions and more.

I hope to continue watching Djokovic play this year and letting Alcaraz and Sinner take over the courts for years to come.