Three weeks after being outplayed in the Wimbledon final, 24-time Major champion Novak Djokovic avenged his disappointment with aplomb, producing an inspired display to skilfully outfox Carlos Alcaraz after two thrilling sets of tennis lasting just under three hours as the 37-year-old ended his career-long pursuit of Olympic gold for Serbia while making more individual history.
Djokovic defies the odds to win Olympic gold
Djokovic [1] bt. Alcaraz [2] 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2)
- Record-breaker! Djokovic produces fantastic showing to seal 99th ATP title, completing the career Golden Slam (Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal) and Super Slam (Agassi) – becomes the only singles man to win all big titles
- Djokovic becomes first-ever player to win Olympic gold without losing a set in men’s singles, and upgrades from his 2008 Beijing bronze as the fifth man to secure multiple medals of any colour as Serena Williams – whose 2012 triumph saw her complete similar history – watches courtside
- DJOKOVIC: “Almost three hours for two sets, it was an incredible battle and fight. He keeps coming back, asking me to play my best tennis… we both had chances, fair to settle both sets in tiebreaks, when it mattered [break points] we came up with big serves and plays, I’m still in shock. I put my everything on the line to win Olympic gold at age 37, finally did it!”
- Lorenzo Musetti made history as first Italian tennis medallist in 100 years with bronze after three-set win over Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime on Saturday, seven days after defeat by Francisco Cerundolo in Umag final
Much like their Wimbledon final last month, this finale was packed with tension from the off but this time, Novak Djokovic held serve early and it foreshadowed a fierce battle. Carlos Alcaraz fended off four break points in consecutive service holds to start the encounter as their psychological battles were tighter through 40 minutes.
Then it was the Serb under the kosh, producing some clutch serving and tactical adjustments keeping the Spaniard at bay as he saved a trio of break points too. Five games played, still no closer to a breakthrough in a markedly different final.
Alcaraz’s ability to extend rallies and chase down balls from all angles meant he could turn points on their head with one shot, Djokovic keenly aware he couldn’t afford to hand free points away as was jarringly often the case in south London.
The match’s first love-hold gave Alcaraz an opportunity to embrace his role as scoreboard chaser and suddenly he had a 0-30 lead on the Djokovic serve after a cheap error and double-fault. Amazing defence and court coverage saw him earn another break point before volleying home a pulsating rally upclose to force deuce.
Alcaraz created two more, the first a rally-ending winner at net and number two with more line-kissing depth but as Djokovic fumed, mixing up his first serve paid dividends. Back-and-forth they went, Alcaraz’s drop shot and a backhand winner set up two more opportunities but still the Serb had an answer when called upon.
He roared into a 5-4 lead, five break points furiously saved as Alcaraz looked to banish those missed openings quickly and did after two uncharacteristic Djokovic rally errors. So who would blink first? 72 minutes in and deadlocked at 5-5, Djokovic held his ground on pressure points shifting the initiative back to the Spaniard.
A pivotal opening set with twists and turns, but no breaks
Mixing body serves and crushing forehands to keep the top seed guessing, his shot variety came to the fore – saving a set point in the process – as they went into a tiebreak. Alcaraz’s power off both wings spoke for itself, keeping it under control wasn’t an easy task while Djokovic’s net approach play was far more authoritative.
Djokovic drew first blood after crushing a second serve with a return winner on the side tramline, before an errant rally ball and wide serve forced another mistake to rack up three more set points. This time after both saved 13 break points in an opening set of delicate margins, there was to be no great escape from the 21-year-old phenom.
Djokovic read his drop shot and clinically finished the point at net again, now one set away from a prize painfully eluding him throughout an illustrious career.
While commentators questioned whether they were witnessing Djokovic’s career-best display unfold, his frustration intensified as the trend continued: Alcaraz rallying from precarious situations and refusing to surrender with service holds from both.
Djokovic cranked up his service speeds, down 4-3, as Alcaraz forced deuce but couldn’t get any closer to breaking before a game of two halves saw Djokovic eventually wrestling with more scoreboard pressure to navigate.
Free points on serve were worth their weight in gold – pardon the pun – Novak nervelessly building up a head of steam behind his first serve as they went into another tiebreak to seven. He swatted a forehand winner up-the-line before great shot defence on the subsequent point forced an Alcaraz error for a 2-0 lead.
Alcaraz’s kicker-to-forehand play worked well after watching an overcooked forehand land wide, before Djokovic’s fiery forehand groundstrokes were key in giving him a three-point cushion. It felt fitting that he’d finish with a flourish, digging out a deep return to set up a forehand winner on his first and only necessary match point.
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes via Eurosport broadcast
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