Carlos Alcaraz Wins Australian Open 2026 - Becomes the Youngest to Complete Career Grand Slam

Carlos Alcaraz Wins Australian Open 2026 - Becomes the Youngest to Complete Career Grand Slam

Carlos Alcaraz made history by becoming the youngest man (get your favourite racquets) of all time to complete the career grand slam. At 22 years and 272 days old, Alcaraz secured his first Australian Open title, completing the set of all four major championships.

• Youngest Career Grand Slam: By completing the set at age 22, Alcaraz eclipsed the previous record held by Don Budge, who was 22 years and 363 days old when he completed his career grand slam in 1938. He achieved this feat faster than legends such as Rod Laver (24), Rafael Nadal (24), Roger Federer (27), and Novak Djokovic (29).

• Fastest to Seven Major Titles: Alcaraz reached seven grand slam titles faster than any other man in history. He reached this milestone at 22 years and 272 days, surpassing Bjorn Borg, who reached seven titles at 23 years and 4 days old. Other greats he surpassed in this regard include Rafael Nadal (24), Mats Wilander (24), Pete Sampras (24), and Roger Federer (24).

• Elite Company: With this victory, Alcaraz became only the ninth man in history to win all four major titles.

Tennis(Men's) athletes who have achieved a career Grand Slam

1. Carlos Alcaraz at the 2026 Australian Open

2. Novak Djokovic at the 2016 French Open

3. Rafael Nadal at the 2010 US Open

4. Roger Federer at the 2009 French Open

5. Andre Agassi at the 1999 French Open

6. Roy Emerson at the 1964 Wimbledon

7. Rod Laver at the 1962 US National Championships

8. Don Budge at the 1938 French Championships

9. Fred Perry at the 1935 French Championships

Alcaraz secured these records by defeating Novak Djokovic in the final with a score of 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 7–5. In a historic reversal, his victory also denied the 38-year-old Djokovic the chance to become the oldest grand slam winner of all time and to reach a standalone record of 25 grand slam singles titles. Djokovic himself described Alcaraz’s achievement as "historic" and "legendary," noting that it was super impressive for a player to have made such a mark in the history books at only 22 years of age.

How much money did the participants make in AO 2026?

For the 2026 Australian Open, the prize money for tournament winners increased to $4.15 million, representing a 19% increase over the previous year. This individual increase was part of a larger, record-breaking total prize pool of $111.5 million, which was a 16% overall increase from the $96.5 million offered in 2025. The prize money for winners and runners-up reached record levels as part of Tennis Australia’s $135 million investment in the "Summer of Tennis" to ensure the sport remains sustainable for all competitors.

The 2026 prize distribution included several other significant boosts:

• Runner-up Prize: The second-place finishers received $2.15 million, a 13% increase.

• Broad-Based Increases: All players in both singles and doubles were guaranteed a minimum 10% increase in prize money.

• Qualifying Rounds: To support rising stars, prize money for qualifying rounds was increased by 16%. This is part of a longer-term trend; since 2023, qualifying prize money has seen a total boost of 55%.

• Player Support and Welfare: Beyond direct prize money, the tournament significantly improved travel assistance, increasing it by 67%, along with other welfare initiatives.

• Singles Breakdown: Significant increases were applied across all rounds of the main draw, including semifinalists receiving $1.25 million (+14%) and first-round participants receiving $150,000 (+14%).

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley noted that these investments are intended to strengthen the foundation of tennis by building deeper talent pools and supporting careers at every level, from rising stars to Grand Slam champions.

How many Grand Slams do you reckon will Carlos Alcaraz finish with? And, who is your favourite tennis player of all-time? Comment and let us know.