Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic – Australian Open final LIVE

But this is still some contest, and against almost anyone else save for the Spaniard, Djokovic would be floating through.

Alcaraz’s game is like the many-headed Hydra – just when you think you’ve beaten him, another marvel shot comes out of nowhere. Djokovic threw everything short of the kitchen sink at him, only for Alcaraz to find himself hitting into open court for 15-all.

Djokovic returns the favour off the next time, getting his down-the-line forehand off finally, with no attempt from Alcaraz to reply to it.

A fizzing ace tips up the Spaniard, 40-15, and the next he clouts out to the stands. The most straightforward Djokovic hold for some time.

Now it’s Djokovic’s drop shot which outsmarts Alcaraz, forced to sprint back in vain to make it 15-15. But just as quickly, Djokovic blunders a down-the-line forehand well out into the tramlines. Everything that worked against Sinner, he’s drawing a blank with now.

A double fault should raise the spirits, making it 30-all, but a rote serve sends Djokovic deep on the forehand, only for Alcaraz to send his return into wide open court space.

He pulls off the hold cleanly. A must-win for Djokovic, coming up.

Djokovic needs a double fault like a hole in the head, but this is how he starts the fifth game, and chases it with a mistimed volley into the net high up the court. Love-30 to the Spaniard…

He thinks he’s got himself level at 15-30 with a backhand down-the-line, but he misses by an inch, putting Alcaraz in the driving seat with break point.

Djokovic must get on top in this set if he has a hope… trying to pull off the win in five would be borderline deranged.

But Alcaraz takes his chance here, and immediately breaks him as Djokovic wafts another forehand out into the hinterland.

Crunch time for the Serbian.

Here’s another look at Alcaraz’s brief blow-up with the umpire.

During a brief technical snafu at Daily Mail Sport HQ, I can only tell you here that Djokovic held his second service game, but I’m back in action to watch Alcaraz claim a 30-15 lead in his.

Alcaraz again tilts Djokovic to sharper and sharper return angles on the baseline, and nearly sends him careening into The Norman Brookes Challenge Cup before he skews his final return into the net for 40-30.

The Spaniard is looking just as fresh in this third set, and all the more aggressive, and he takes his hold to level things up.

I almost hurled myself off my chair in excitement as cross-court exchanges ran long between Alcaraz and Djokovic, with the Serbian the winner – until Alcaraz’s razor-sharp backhand proved too much for him! Stunning, stunning point.

Alcaraz has grown in stature on the baseline too, and tosses Djokovic this way and that before he hits short, bringing up 40-love.

A let, then a fault, don’t get his final serve off on the best note, but he still produces something ungettable on his last chance, tipping over Djokovic to pull off the hope.

The Serbian is back on court, and there’s no development in Roofgate, so it’s time to get going again.

The bathroom reset hasn’t taken immediately for him, as he quickly falls love-30 behind. But there’s nothing like the next point to warm the blood: Djokovic is able to catch Alcaraz’s audacious tweener, volley it, and watch the Spaniard fall down chasing it, 15-30.

Djokovic tracks his opponent to deuce, and gains the first advantage, pulling off the hold after Alcaraz, way back, curls his final forehand into the net.

A brief exchange with the umpire while Djokovic is off-court sees the Spaniard furiously question why the roof has been closed a little bit more.

It does look somewhat absurd, just a crack of purple sky exposed. This is an outdoor tournament, after all. It’s either raining, or it isn’t.

Alcaraz looks to speak to tournament director Craig Tiley, but finds another supervisor to vent his spleen to, before discussing the developments with his team.

The camera cuts to Tiley, on his phone. Which way will it move?

Djokovic may have been quickest off the mark on Alcaraz’s serve, but there’s little to hold back the Spaniard now.

He leaps towards the tape, and takes the set at the first time of asking.

All square, with nearly an hour and a half played. Finely poised, I’d say.

Djokovic’s level has certainly dipped in this second set, with the bubbling rise of Alcaraz’s, and the latter amps up the crowd as he pings a down-the-line backhand just past the Serbian, 15-30.

His next return is striking too, and he’s got another break point opportunity. He can’t take it quite as quickly as the last, with Alcaraz overcooking his forehand return, but he has another opportunity at 40-30, and this one he takes.

A double break for Alcaraz, and the second-set finish line is in sight.

A lightning-flash service game from Alcaraz, far more confident on serve than in that first set, as he holds to love.

The Spaniard stays just ahead in this second.

Luckily, as this fan reminds us, the stakes remain manageable.