Olympic tennis gold medallist Novak Djokovic defeats Carlos Alcaraz

On Sunday, Novak Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to win his first Olympic gold medal and become just the fifth player in history to accomplish a career Golden Slam.

In a thrilling final at Roland Garros, the 37-year-old Serb—who was playing in his seventh Games—came through 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/2) to add Olympic gold to his 24 Grand Slam victories.

With his triumph, he became one of the select few athletes to have won both the Olympic singles gold medal and all four Grand Slam events, along with Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Steffi Graf, and Serena Williams, who was watching.

He also defied Alcaraz’s attempt to add gold to the French Open and Wimbledon crowns he has already won this summer, becoming the oldest singles champion since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988.

A tearful Djokovic celebrated by raising the Serbian flag in the air on the court and then stumbling into the players’ box to give his wife and kids hugs.

“We nearly spent three hours playing, and that last shot was the only time I felt confident I could win the match,” said Djokovic, who suffered a crushing defeat to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final the previous month.

“I put my body and my family on the line to win gold and finally I did it,” the statement reads.

Alcaraz tried to do a TV interview while inconsolable and in tears.

After a match in which neither player gave up a single point, the 21-year-old described the match as “three hours, a big battle with tough moments.” “Losing hurts so much.”

In the second game of the first round, Djokovic created three break points, all of which the Spaniard saved.

Subsequently, the Serbian player showcased his renowned ability to withstand setbacks by fending off three break points in the fifth game and an additional five in an extended ninth game.

After a furious ninety-three minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier, Alcaraz saved a set point in the twelfth game of a rollercoaster match, but his seasoned opponent controlled the tiebreak to take the first game.

The second set continued where it left off, with Alcaraz putting up a fierce battle in the third game to save the match’s fourteenth break point.

Once more, a tie-break determined the outcome of the set, and Djokovic triumphed after two hours and fifty minutes, this time with history on the line.

Italy won its first men’s tennis medal in a century on Saturday when Lorenzo Musetti defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in three sets to win the bronze medal.

In the women’s doubles later on Sunday, Russian athletes Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider will play the Italian duo Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini for a chance to win their first gold of the Games.

Following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian participants are competing in the Olympics as neutrals.

The Russian flag and national song will not be allowed at the podium ceremony if Andreeva and Shnaider win gold. Their accomplishment will also not be acknowledged in the medals table.

In the bronze medal match, Sara Sorribes Tormo and Cristina Bucsa, the eighth-seeded Spanish team, defeated Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-2.