Djokovic wins his first Olympic gold medal, beats Carlos Alcaraz

PARIS — Novak Djokovic won his first Olympic gold medal by beating Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) in an enthralling men’s tennis singles final Sunday, giving the 37-year-old from Serbia the last significant accomplishment missing from his glittering resume.

Djokovic’s impressive profession already featured a men’s-record 24 Grand Slam titles and essentially the most weeks spent at No. 1 within the rankings by any man or woman. It also already contained a Summer Olympics medal, from 2008, however it was a bronze — and he has made clear that simply was not sufficient.

Until he got past bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti of Italy within the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was 0-3 in that round on the Games. He lost to the eventual gold winner every time: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at London in 2012, and Alexander Zverev in Tokyo three years ago.

READ: Djokovic, Alcaraz to clash in Paris Olympics gold medal showdown

In Paris, wearing a gray sleeve over the proper knee that required surgery for a torn meniscus two months ago, Djokovic faced Nadal within the second round and eliminated his longtime rival in straight sets. Now Djokovic is the oldest man to win the singles gold in his sport since 1908 — and prevented Spain’s Alcaraz, who’s 21, from becoming the youngest.

When the victory was his, when the gold was his, thanks to 1 last forehand winner, Djokovic turned toward his team within the stands — sitting in front of his wife and their two children — and dropped his racket as he knelt on the clay. As emotional as ever, he cried and covered his face, then rose and grabbed a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag. After hugs within the stands, Djokovic waved that flag. Alcaraz wept afterward, too.

The ultimate, which lasted 2 hours, 50 minutes despite being decided in just two sets, was a rematch of the Wimbledon title match three weeks ago that Alcaraz won to follow up his French Open title in June.

READ: Paris Olympics: ‘Relieved’ Djokovic races past Rafael Nadal

Alcaraz also defeated Djokovic in last yr’s final on the All England Club, but Djokovic won after they met within the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the annual clay-court tournament held at Roland Garros, the positioning used for tennis in the course of the Paris Olympics.

Sunday’s contest was an enthralling matchup, featuring among the finest to ever do it in Djokovic, and the most effective in the meanwhile in Alcaraz. Indeed, might have been frustrating for Djokovic to seek out himself once more across the online from a younger, speedier version of himself. Perhaps that’s why Djokovic continuously looked up and gesticulated and muttered toward his guest box.

Still, he got here out on top.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, right, hugs Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz after the boys’s singles tennis final on the Roland Garros stadium in the course of the Paris Olympics 2024, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

It required long exchanges full of superb ball-striking on the baseline, deft drop shots — Alcaraz’s tended to be more successful, sometimes so good Djokovic declined to even give chase — and tremendous sprinting, sliding, stretching defense at each ends. They served so well that neither got broken even once: Djokovic saved eight break points, Alcaraz six.

Most remarkable, perhaps, was how cleanly each men played, despite the talent of the opposition and pressure of the occasion. Unforced errors were rare.

The one shame, perhaps, for the fans — and, naturally, the loser — was that the Olympics uses a best-of-three-set format, as a substitute of the best-of-five at Grand Slam tournaments. Make no mistake, this encounter between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic and No. 2-seeded Alcaraz was worthy of a significant final, and nobody fortunate enough to carry a ticket could complain about not getting their money’s value.

READ: Nadal, Alcaraz cautious on Paris Olympics doubles medal possibilities

Those within the stands became a part of the show, repeatedly breaking out into choruses of “No-le! No-le!” or “Automotive-los! Automotive-los!” that usually overlapped, creating an operatic fugue. Within the second set, as Alcaraz attempted to mount a comeback, his supporters began chanting, “Si, se puede!” (essentially, “Yes, you may!”) while shaking their red-and-yellow flags. Chair umpire Damien Dumusois occasionally reminded folks to stay silent in the course of the motion.

Yet it also became as quiet as a theater between points, enough in order that play was delayed briefly in the primary set when the air thick with anticipation was pierced by a young child’s crying.

Each men played to the gang. When Alcaraz raced to achieve one drop shot and deposit it over the online for a winner, he basked within the raucous response by pointing his right index finger to his ear. When Djokovic laced a cross-court forehand winner on the run to cap a 10-shot point to guide 3-2 within the second tiebreaker, he waved each arms overhead to encourage folks who already were on their feet, screaming.

The primary set alone lasted greater than 1 1/2 hours, chock filled with epic shots and epic games. One lasted 18 points spread over greater than a dozen mesmerizing minutes, including five break possibilities for Alcaraz, before Djokovic managed to carry for a 5-4 lead. Within the tiebreaker, Djokovic was superior in crunch time, as he so often is, taking the last 4 points.

At 3-all, Alcaraz delivered a body serve, but Djokovic slid barely enough to his left to smack a cross-court forehand return winner. After two mistakes by Alcaraz, Djokovic produced a volley winner and turned to face his family with a fist held high.

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