Novak Djokovic ends his long run for Olympic gold with epic final against Carlos Alcaraz

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In him Lost in Wimbledon final arrive Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic Finding himself taking the beating he had just taken at center court quite easily.

As the chance to make history slipped away and Alcaraz asserted himself in a one-sided final, Djokovic calmed down and reminded himself that bigger goals and more important opportunities would soon come. After all, if Djokovic could have picked one tennis tournament to win at the beginning of the year, it wouldn’t have been the Wimbledon final.

Just 21 days later, Djokovic got his revenge, ending his long run for Olympic gold. Defeated Alcaraz 7-6 (3) 7-6 (2) to reach the final At Roland Garros.

At 37, this is his fifth Olympic GamesDjokovic won the title that had eluded him so far and is on track to complete the career Grand Slam. Two months ago, Djokovic tore the meniscus in his right knee and, after undergoing surgery, it seemed that he would not be able to participate in the Olympics. Now, he returned to the Philippe Chatrier Court and defeated his young opponent to achieve one of the greatest victories of his career and win the gold medal for Serbia, a gold medal that will rank among his 24 Grand Slam titles.

In doing so, he managed to neutralize Alcaraz, a Spaniard who seemed even better than Djokovic could possibly be at this stage in his career. Djokovic went all out to first deny Alcaraz and then outlast him in a 93-minute first set. Djokovic withstood Alcaraz’s athleticism and ball-striking prowess, showcasing his greatest qualities as a tennis player in an epic final battle. Djokovic persevered, remained solid in all aspects of his game and performed in the most important moments to secure a historic victory in one of the most memorable Olympic finals of all time.

Djokovic has already won 10 Australian Opens, 3 French Opens, 7 Wimbledons, 4 US Opens, 7 ATP Finals and 40 ATP 1000 titles, and now he has added Olympic gold to his illustrious career. He becomes the fifth player to complete a career Grand Slam in singles, joining Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf in achieving another major milestone.

Djokovic had to be at his best to beat Alcaraz and make history, but he found the level that had eluded him for much of the season. Incredibly, Djokovic also ended an eight-month title drought.

A landmark final brought out the rawest emotions: Djokovic doesn’t experience many new things in sports, but winning gold for his country is one of them. First there was the shock, he dropped his racket and turned to face his box, eyes wide. Then the tears, Djokovic collapsed to the clay, looked up at the sky, sobbing. At the other end of the court, Alcaraz, unable to speak during a TV interview, turned away to cover his face. He will have more. Djokovic will be 41 by the time of the next Los Angeles Olympics, and the knowledge that this is him adds another layer to a legendary performance that flipped the script.

Djokovic admitted that he felt “less than” Alcaraz after his shocking defeat in the Wimbledon final three weeks ago. On that hot and quiet afternoon at Roland Garros, there was no comparison to an Olympic final. Djokovic played at a higher level in the first set, bringing up 13 break points in total, eight of which Djokovic saved himself. He saved five of them in a brilliant ninth game, leaving his opponent helpless, as any break point would have given Alcaraz the chance to serve for the set. As Alcaraz pushed for the advantage, producing a series of stunning returns, Djokovic smiled, unable to believe that it had taken so much to win a point.

But Djokovic advanced into the tiebreak, biding his time. After the first six points were tied, Djokovic snatched a slower second serve from Alcaraz and hit a forehand winner. Alcaraz momentarily lost his composure and dropped two straight balls from the baseline, giving Djokovic set point. Djokovic sent Alcaraz to the right, and the Spaniard fired a brilliant forehand crosscourt winner past him. But when he looked up, Djokovic was already there, swooping to his right and hitting a soft volley. Djokovic kept the same stance, arms raised, and pressed forward.

An hour later, the second-round tie-break arrived, and the two were still in the same position. Alcaraz stayed alive in the match, surviving awkward moments on serve, but could not find momentum against Djokovic. The fact that Alcaraz stayed in the match, though, could have been a bad omen. Time and again, the Spaniard has managed to come back from behind since winning the French Open two months ago. Instead, Djokovic found another level in the tie-break – an epic final rounded off.

Djokovic, seven points away from victory, knew how hard it would be to beat Alcaraz and used the Spaniard’s skills against him. In the crucial moment of the second tie-break, Djokovic hit a brilliant winner in the set that he ran so wide that he nearly disappeared off the screen. When he hit a lob that landed just inside the baseline, Alcaraz blinked and slammed a forehand into the net.

The shot broke Alcaraz and Djokovic shined. From there, he hit three of his cleanest forehands ever, going all out to hit a cross-court winner that hit Alcaraz hard on the head. After falling behind, Alcaraz made two errors, giving Djokovic match point. Djokovic seized the opportunity and ruthlessly hit another forehand winner, this time down the line, setting the last record in tennis history.