One Shot, One Historic Shot: Alcaraz Chases Borg’s 47-Year Grand Slam Benchmark at the Australian Open

Alcaraz Sets Sights on Borg’s 47-Year Benchmark at the Australian Open

Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz stands ready to write his name into tennis history at the Australian Open, pursuing not only the full Grand Slam but also a record that has endured for nearly five decades, held by Swedish legend Bjorn Borg.

Borg remains the youngest modern-era player to claim seven Grand Slam titles, achieving his seventh at the 1979 French Open at age 23 years and 4 days.

Since then, no one has matched that exact age for a seventh major. Rafael Nadal reached his seventh at 24 years and 3 days, while Roger Federer and Pete Sampras did so at 24, and Novak Djokovic claimed his seventh at 27.

With six majors already on his tally (his latest at the 2025 US Open), Alcaraz has one shot to seize Borg’s record: if he wins the Australian Open this year, he will be 22 years, 8 months, and 27 days old, becoming the youngest seven-Grand-Slam winner.

Delaying the title until Roland Garros would push his age to 23 years, 1 month, and 1 day at seventh, slightly older than Borg’s seventh, potentially sealing the record for good.

A Melbourne title would also make him the youngest to complete the Grand Slam, and he would join the sport’s elite as the sixth player to win all four majors, alongside Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, and Rod Laver.

Currently holding six majors (latest at the 2025 US Open), Alcaraz’s next triumph could redefine the all-time prestige of the sport and keep his ascent firmly on track.

Punchline 1: If he slices through Melbourne, Borg might need a DeLorean to catch up—and even then, he’d owe Alcaraz an autograph for the records.
Punchline 2: Tennis love: less drama on court, more headaches for the calendar—Alcaraz just turned February into a launch date for a seven-major career.