Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina emerged as Australian Open champions, with Alcaraz completing a career Grand Slam and Rybakina claiming her second major title.
The 22-year-old Spaniard defeated Novak Djokovic 2-6 6-2 6-3 7-5 to become the youngest man to win all four Grand Slam singles titles, denying the Serb a historic 25th crown in the process.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, overcame world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 4-6 6-4, rallying from 3-0 down in the final set to reverse the result of their 2023 Melbourne final.
Alcaraz honoured to make history
“Nobody knows how hard I’ve worked to get this trophy. I chased this moment so much,” Alcaraz admitted during the trophy ceremony.
“I appreciate it was a rollercoaster emotionally, and my team and I went through stuff but did the right work. This trophy is yours as well.
“I can’t wait to come back here next year.”
Alcaraz later added: “What I’ve learned [over the last 12 months] is about appreciating and enjoying every single second – not only lifting trophies but playing tournaments, playing tennis, getting victories, getting losses.
“Whatever it is, just enjoy and appreciate the life you’re living.
“It’s an honour to put my name on the history books.”
Djokovic, meanwhile, told the crowd: “I didn’t think I’d be standing at the closing ceremony of a Grand Slam once again.
“Who knows what happens tomorrow, never mind the next six or 12 months, but it has been a great ride.
“I have belief and I always have confidence and vision to win a Slam anywhere, but I do not expect it. That’s different.”
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Rybakina hails comeback, thanks team
Speaking to the media after her victory, Rybakina was reflective, saying: “I always believed I can come back to the level I was – we all have ups and downs.
“I thought maybe I will never again be in the final or even get a trophy, but we’ve been putting in a lot of work as a team, and in the moments when I was not that positive they would be helping out.
“When you are getting big wins against top players, then you start to believe more and you get more confident.”
“I want to congratulate Aryna for amazing results for a couple of years,” the 26-year-old Russian-born Kazakh star noted.
“I know it’s tough. I hope we are in many more finals together.
“The support [in the final] kept us going. Thank you to the Kazakhstan fans. I felt the support!”
During her own post-match press conference, Sabalenka said: “Great tennis from her.
“Maybe not so smart for me but as I say today I’m a loser, maybe tomorrow I’m a winner, maybe again a loser. Hopefully not. We’ll see.
“Even in this final, I feel like I played great. I was fighting, I did my best and she was a better player, so I don’t know.”
“Right now, I don’t want to think about tennis,” the Belarusian continued.
“But my ambitions are still the same – keep fighting, keep working hard, keep putting myself out there and try my best if I’ll have another chance in the final.”
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SportJustSport writers