Novak Djokovic in Tears After Epic Showdown with Carlos Alcaraz

Sunday’s matchup added another chapter to the captivating old-vs-young rivalry, continuing from their Wimbledon final three weeks ago.

PARIS, France — Novak Djokovic triumphed in an electrifying men’s tennis singles final on Sunday, claiming his first Olympic gold medal by defeating Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2). This victory brings the 37-year-old Serbian star the last major accolade missing from his illustrious career.

Djokovic’s career, already laden with a record 24 Grand Slam titles and the longest reign at No. 1 across both men’s and women’s tennis, lacked only Olympic gold. He previously held a bronze from the 2008 Summer Olympics, a status he found insufficient for his towering ambitions.

Before dismantling bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic had a 0-3 record in that crucial round in previous Games. Each time, he lost to the eventual gold medalist: Rafael Nadal in 2008, Andy Murray in 2012, and Alexander Zverev in 2020’s Tokyo Games.

In Paris, despite a knee surgery two months ago that necessitated wearing a gray sleeve over his right knee, Djokovic surged past longtime rival Rafael Nadal in straight sets during the second round. This accomplishment makes him the oldest man to win singles gold since 1908 and thwarted 21-year-old Spaniard Alcaraz’s bid to become the youngest.