In a thrilling match on Sunday at Roland Garros, the 37-year-old Serbian defeated Carlos Alcaraz of Spain to complete his career Golden Slam in men’s singles competition.
Djokovic proved he would not give up the one championship that had escaped him for so long, winning 7-6(3) 7-6(2) in front of an adoring audience on Court Philippe Chatrier after heartbreak in Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo.
first place In order to defeat Alcaraz and become the fifth player in history to win both the Olympic gold medal and all four singles Grand Slams, Djokovic put on one of his best performances of all time.
Throughout an intense battle that saw the opening set last one hour and thirty-three minutes, neither player gave up in a succession of gripping games.
In the tiebreak, Djokovic took the lead when Alcaraz blinked first, and when a second tiebreak was needed to determine the second set, Djokovic once more found another gear, leading 6-2 and securing the win with an incredible forehand winner.
Roaring to the skies, Djokovic consoled Alcaraz at the net before breaking down in tears in the middle of the court and making his way into the throng to be surrounded by his loved ones and teammates.
While Djokovic, who became the oldest athlete to win an Olympic singles title since the sport returned to the Games in 1988, celebrated with tears in his eyes, Alcaraz, 21, was devastated that he was unable to add the gold medal to his victories at the French Open and Wimbledon this year.
After losing three straight Olympic singles semifinal matches, Djokovic realized going into Paris that this was his last realistic opportunity to occupy the final spot in a trophy cabinet that already held a men’s record 24 Grand Slam victories.
And how he deserved it: he became the first man to win the Olympic singles without dropping a set by overcoming his heartbreaking Wimbledon final loss to Alcaraz last month.
Before the gold presentation, emotional Djokovic told Eurosport, “It was an incredible fight and I had to play my best tennis,” as cheering Serbian fans filled the stands.
“That the two sets ended in tiebreaks was just. I gave it everything I had in order to earn the gold.
“I did it first for Serbia, my country.”
After winning all four Grand Slams and the Olympic gold medal in their careers, Djokovic enters the select group of athletes that includes Andre Agassi, Rafa Nadal, Serena Williams, and Steffi Graf.
It takes something really exceptional to overshadow the men’s 100-meter final at the Stade de France later on, but Alcaraz and Djokovic’s sixth career meeting may have come close with their thrilling bout.
Thirty captivating minutes were spent in just the first four games, where nearly every rally was a struggle for dominance.
When Djokovic served at 4–4, Alcaraz looked menacing as he unleashed his full armament on the Serb, saving three break points in the fourth game.
Djokovic was forced to grin at his opponent’s skill on multiple occasions as he applied pressure to earn five break points, but he managed to hold onto his serve.
Alcaraz prevented a set point at 5–6, but in the tiebreak, the Spaniard’s play deteriorated a little, and Djokovic took the lead without a second invitation.
Deep into the second set, Djokovic increased his energy even more, sensing his moment, but Alcaraz held firm.
Djokovic, on the other hand, was unrelenting. He ended the match fast by winning the 99th and, possibly, most memorable title of his illustrious career with an incredible forehand winner at 2-2 in the breaker, which broke Alcaraz’s resistance.
