Serbian Player Becomes Fifth to Win All Four Majors and Olympic Gold
Novak Djokovic filled in a rare gap on his tennis resume in spectacular style on Sunday afternoon in Paris.
At 37 years old, Djokovic gave his best performance of the 2024 season to beat the in-form Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3), 7-6(2) and win his first Olympic gold medal. Djokovic won two tight tie-breaks, including a 94-minute first set, to secure the victory against his strong rival. This win came just eight and a half weeks after he had surgery on his right leg.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS AN OLYMPIC #GOLD MEDALIST 🇷🇸#Paris2024 | #Olympics | #tennis pic.twitter.com/HYkLVPJo6H
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 4, 2024
- Victory Achieved: Djokovic won on Court Philippe-Chatrier, achieving a long-time goal of winning an Olympic gold medal in singles, a title that had eluded him until now.
- Emotional Moment: The 24-time Grand Slam champion was visibly emotional and tearful as he celebrated the win. He secured his spot at the top of the podium by hitting a forehand winner past Carlos Alcaraz.
- Tough Match: Djokovic described the match as an intense battle. “We almost played three hours for two sets. It was an incredible fight,” he said. He felt a moment of realization that he could win only after the final shot went past Alcaraz. Despite believing he could win, the match was challenging because Alcaraz kept coming back and pushing him to play his best.
- Personal Achievement: Djokovic admitted he was still in shock and overwhelmed by the win. He put his all into this achievement, including his heart, soul, and everything he had, to win Olympic gold at the age of 37.
- Recent Performance: Last month, Djokovic lost to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, which was his only tournament since his knee surgery. Despite this recent loss, he has now joined an elite group of five players who have completed the ‘Golden Slam.’ This group includes Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams, who have all won all four major titles and an Olympic gold medal in singles.
Djokovic Outlasts Alcaraz in Thrilling Tie-Breaks to Win Olympic Gold
In an intense match, both Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz showed incredible determination and skill. The first set was particularly thrilling, with 13 break points—5 for Djokovic and 8 for Alcaraz—but neither player managed to break serve, leading to a tie-break. Alcaraz fought hard to hold serve despite being down 0/40 in the fourth game. Djokovic also battled through a challenging ninth game, where he faced five break points and both players delivered some fantastic tennis.
When Djokovic had his final break point of the set at 6-5, 30/40, it also served as a set point. Though he couldn’t convert it, he stayed calm and went on to win four straight points in the tie-break, securing the first set on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The second set saw fewer opportunities for both players to break serve. Despite this, the level of play remained very high. Djokovic continued to use his variety of shots and changing pace to keep Alcaraz on the move. Alcaraz, on the other hand, showed his talent by saving the only break point of the set in the third game and delivering some spectacular shots.
Djokovic managed to make Alcaraz make mistakes while also hitting some impressive winners. A standout moment was a powerful cross-court forehand winner at 2/2 in the second-set tie-break, which showed just how focused Djokovic was. He went on to win the next four points and clinch the match.
Alcaraz, who had a remarkable summer by winning his third and fourth Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, was aiming to add an Olympic gold to his achievements. At 21, he was the youngest player to compete in a singles gold-medal match since the Olympic Tennis Event resumed in 1988. Djokovic, at 37, was the oldest player in the match.
This was their second meeting on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Djokovic had previously won against Alcaraz in the 2022 Roland Garros semi-finals. With this latest win, Djokovic now leads their head-to-head record 4-3.
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