How old were Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz when Novak Djokovic played his first Australian Open
Novak Djokovic’s longevity at the Australian Open is thrown into even sharper focus when comparing where today’s top players were in life when he first stepped onto the Melbourne Park stage.
As Djokovic prepares for another Australian Open final in 2026, the contrast between generations underlines just how long he has remained at the sport’s summit.
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That gap becomes striking when looking at the ages of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the very start of Djokovic’s Grand Slam journey in Melbourne.
Photo by IZHAR KHAN / AFP via Getty Images
How old Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were at Djokovic’s first Australian Open
Novak Djokovic made his Australian Open debut in January 2005, entering the tournament as an 18-year-old Serbian prospect still finding his way on the ATP Tour.
At that point, Carlos Alcaraz was just one year old. Born in May 2003, the future world No. 1 had not yet turned two when Djokovic played his first match in Melbourne.
Jannik Sinner, born in August 2001, was three years old during the 2005 Australian Open, several months away from his fourth birthday.
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Fast forward to 2026, and the picture has flipped completely. Alcaraz is now 22 years old, already a multiple Grand Slam champion and world No. 1, while Sinner is 24 years old, ranked world No. 2 and firmly established among the elite.
Djokovic, meanwhile, has turned that 2005 debut into one of the most dominant Australian Open careers the sport has ever seen.
Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open longevity reaches new heights in 2026
Djokovic has won the Australian Open a record 10 times, lifting the trophy across three different decades.
His titles in Melbourne span from 2008 through to 2023, with extended runs of dominance that reshaped expectations of consistency at a single Grand Slam.
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In 2026, Djokovic added another extraordinary chapter by defeating Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semi-final, booking a place in yet another final.
The win highlighted his ability to still overcome players more than 15 years younger at the highest level of the sport.
Djokovic will now face Carlos Alcaraz in the final, setting up a matchup that symbolises the present versus the enduring past.
That Djokovic is contesting a major final against players who were toddlers when he first played in Melbourne underscores the scale of his career. Few athletes in any sport have maintained elite performance across such a wide generational span.
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