Djokovic pushes his limits to beat Alcaraz and win Olympic gold in Paris

Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to claim Olympic gold in the men’s singles final at Roland Garros on Sunday. The 37-year-old defeated his Spanish rival in straight sets 7-6 (3) 7-6 (2) in less than three hours of brutal clay-court tennis at Court Phillippe-Chatrier. It was to add the missing blue checkmark to his CV, ending 16 years of injuries – including three Olympic semi-final defeats – to claim gold.

Djokovic was visually dazzled by the way he lost to the same opponent at Wimbledon. The rematch was more like the rebirth of the cyborg he is known for; incredible strength of metal (and mind), clean hitting, and the ability to go into tunnel vision when faced with strong headwinds on the other side of the net.

On Sunday three weeks ago on Centre Court, the Serb was down by two sets after 77 minutes. Here, the first five games took him 36. He didn’t go anywhere, constantly pushing himself up the scoreboard, despite being occasionally bombarded with lightning from Alcaraz’s toy turbos. Both men were in good spirits, but also showed huge signs of frustration when shots went wide. It meant more.

The opening act finally ended after 93 minutes with Djokovic’s volley held at the net in the tie-break, which he won 7-3. Neither man was broken in 24 games outside the shootout, despite numerous chances. It was the Spaniard who looked world-weary, facing a wall of total defiance, especially in the marathon 15 minutes of the ninth game of the first set, when he wasted five chances to gain the upper hand.

In the second set, Djokovic raised his game, having ignited the fire with his first-set victory. Now he had total focus, increasing the pressure with the added comfort of the scoreboard pressure. Alcaraz’s serves were less secure, although he pushed forward strongly to take a tie-break 2. Djokovic’s incredible comeback from an explosive Alcaraz forehand at 2-2 was too much for the Spaniard to handle. He didn’t win any more break points to give the match away. There was simply nothing left for either player to offer. Despite the bare facts of a three-set win, the threat was convincing.

If this had been a five-setter, Alcaraz would still have wanted the job dearly, but the three-set sprint format (which these two tend to extend into Marvel epics) favored the older player. Djokovic was in a relentless mood, the kind that eventually wears down an opponent, even a 21-year-old who was threatening to break the record dam over the next decade. The only water that flowed were the winners’ tears of joy immediately after the match. The loser couldn’t speak. It was Iga Świątek again.

It was No. 1’s last shot on the highest point of the Olympic podium. The cumulative progress of a career that has seen so many highs but constant lows in 2024 has elevated the significance of this competition. Djokovic won bronze in Beijing in 2008, but the rematch with the Spaniard was perfectly timed. He had done his homework on what went wrong at SW19 and was striking the ball much cleaner. The main concern was keeping Alcaraz’s forehand from hitting his forecourt, especially with a knee brace that has impaired his conditioning and mobility since meniscus surgery in June.

“I’m still in shock. I put my heart, my soul, my body, my family, everything about me on the line to win Olympic gold at the age of 37. I finally did it,” a delighted and exhausted Djokovic said afterward. Alcaraz finally put his head in his hands, trying to understand how the man he had so clinically dismantled had come back with answers. Again. Alcaraz was as devastated as he was after his Cincinnati Open defeat, when the Serb rebounded from the disappointment of the 2023 Wimbledon final to exact revenge.

Djokovic said Alcaraz is still coming. After this thrilling duel between the two biggest stars in men’s tennis, the Murcian must be thinking the same thing. It could all happen again in New York next month. The episodes are coming to an end, but the oldest Olympic singles champion since 1988 still has enough fire left in him to keep the sequels top-quality.