Olympics24: Djokovic fights Alcaraz & knee injury to win Olympic Tennis Gold

  

 Novak Djokovic finally captured his elusive Olympic gold. On Sunday, at Philippe Chatrier Court, he defeated Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the tennis final. The Serbian player won 7-6, 7-6, with both sets going to tie-breakers. Alcaraz missed the chance to match his fellow countryman Rafael Nadal's achievement. On the other hand, Djokovic won gold for the first time in his sixth attempt. He became the fifth tennis player in history, following Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer, to achieve a "Golden Slam" — winning all four Grand Slams and an Olympic gold.

Djokovic is the most successful player in the Open Era of tennis history, with 24 Grand Slam titles. There's no Grand Slam he hasn't won multiple times. He has virtually won every competition worldwide, with only the Olympic gold eluding him until now. At 37, Djokovic knew this might be his last chance. So, he gave his best at Roland Garros, and on Sunday, his dream finally came true. If tennis experts now consider him the greatest of all time, it would not be surprising.

Winning the gold wasn't easy. In the second round, he faced his old rival, Rafael Nadal, the legend of Roland Garros. However, this Nadal was not the dominant force he once was on the clay courts of Paris. Additionally, with an Olympic gold already under his belt, Nadal's hunger was somewhat less than Djokovic's. Djokovic seized the opportunity and easily defeated the king of the clay court. In the quarter-finals, he faced Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, who had taken two sets off Djokovic in a previous French Open final. But with his eyes set on Olympic gold, Djokovic proved unstoppable.

The only remaining obstacle for Djokovic was Carlos Alcaraz. Less than a month had passed since Djokovic's straight-set loss to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, leaving a fresh wound in his heart. Despite being hampered by a knee injury, Djokovic gave 100% in every match. This determination paid off, fulfilling his "Golden Slam" dream.

The hunger for Olympic gold was evident after the match. As Djokovic's forehand sailed past Alcaraz, he dropped his racket and screamed continuously, looking towards the gallery. However, even he couldn't maintain his aggression for long after winning gold. Tears streamed down his face as he knelt on the ground, crying like a child. His thumb trembled, showing his internal excitement. After a brief pause, he stood up, shook hands with the umpire and embraced Alcaraz, then rushed to a specific corner of the gallery to hug his young daughter, resuming his tears.

Alcaraz witnessed the entire scene. Rafael Nadal had won Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and Alcaraz had the chance to make history as the second Spaniard to do so. Despite his steel-like mentality, Alcaraz also shed tears after losing. However, he had immense respect for Djokovic. Alcaraz understood that he had many more years to win Olympic gold, but for his opponent, this might have been the last Olympics. The day likely belonged to Djokovic. In a gesture of respect, Alcaraz applauded Djokovic along with the entire gallery.

Sunday's final at Roland Garros was indeed a final to remember. Neither player gave an inch. Djokovic had to deliver his best performance of the year to overcome Alcaraz. The fact that both sets went to tie-breakers indicates how fiercely contested the match was. The first set lasted 94 minutes, with Djokovic earning five break points and Alcaraz eight, but neither capitalized on them. Alcaraz even held his serve after being down 0-40. Djokovic won the tie-breaker 7-3.

Compared to the first set, the second set offered fewer opportunities for both players. Despite this, their performances were equally intense, with neither willing to concede. Djokovic varied his pace, while Alcaraz displayed variety in his shots. In the second set tie-breaker, similar to the first set, Djokovic triumphed 7-2, securing the match and the elusive Olympic gold.