Novak Djokovic has finally claimed Olympic gold. After three heart-wrenching semifinal losses,Djokovic secured victory in straight tiebreaks against reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, winning 7-6(3), 7-6(2) at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Djokovic’s Olympic gold adds to his impressive career achievements, which include 10 Australian Open titles, three French Open victories, seven Wimbledon wins, and four US Open titles.
Describing the match as an “incredible battle,” Djokovic expressed his deep commitment to winning the gold at age 37, according to tennis journalist José Morgado. “I put my heart, soul, body, family, everything on the line to win the Olympic Gold,” Djokovic said.
At 37, Djokovic becomes the oldest man to win a tennis gold medal at the Summer Games. He is also the fifth player to achieve a “golden slam,” having won all four major titles and Olympic singles gold. He joins the ranks of tennis legends Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams.
The victory came just two months after Alcaraz triumphed at Roland-Garros. Djokovic’s extensive experience on clay played a crucial role in his win over Alcaraz, despite concerns over his surgically-repaired right knee following the quarterfinals. Djokovic overcame these worries, dominating Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals and maintaining his confidence against the 21-year-old Alcaraz.
Sunday’s match marked the seventh encounter between Djokovic and Alcaraz.
Alcaraz had recently leveled their head-to-head record with a commanding three-set victory at Wimbledon. With this win, Djokovic now leads their series 4-3.
Djokovic saved eight break points to secure the first set and, after Alcaraz briefly led in the second set, Djokovic won another tight tiebreak.
The intense match thrilled fans, who celebrated Djokovic’s achievement as one of the last milestones in his career, elevating him to the status of the greatest player of all time.
