Melbourne, Feb. 1 -- After defeating Novak Djokovic to clinch his maiden Australian Open title on Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz said winning the Australian Open was the result of years of hard work and emotional struggles, as per the ATP website.

He described his pre-season as challenging but credited his team for constantly guiding and supporting him, expressing deep gratitude for those around him.

The 22-year-old Spaniard achieved the milestone by defeating Djokovic in a gripping four-set final by 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, a contest that lasted three hours and two minutes. With the win, Alcaraz claimed his seventh Grand Slam title.

"I think nobody knows how hard I have been working to get this trophy. I chased this moment so much. Preseason was a...