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.
