.PARIS-- For all of his Grand Slam champions as well as other headlines, for every one of his time at No. 1, Novak Djokovic really, really desired an Olympic gold medal for Serbia, the final substantial success overlooking from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He lastly got one at grow older 37, and also it matters not a little how much time it took.Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3 ), 7-6 (2) in a fascinating as well as uniformly matched guys's ping pong single people last at the 2024 Games on Sunday." I put my center, my soul, my body, my household-- my every thing-- on the line to gain Olympic gold," Djokovic stated. "Fabulous fight. Fabulous match." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedHis remarkable job currently included a men's- report 24 Conquest prizes and one of the most full weeks invested atop in the ranks by any sort of guy or girl. It likewise presently consisted of a Summer months Olympics medal, coming from 2008, but it was a bronze-- and he created it clear that just had not been sufficient.Until he surpassed bronze champion Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was 0-3 during that round at the Video games. He dropped to the ultimate gold champion each time: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at London in 2012, and Alexander Zverev in Tokyo 3 years ago.Before facing Musetti, Djokovic claimed, "I felt like, 'OK, allow's make it through this.' That is actually why today, prior to the match, I carried out certainly not think as stressed as I will normally believe, since I had actually protected a medal." In Paris, wearing a grey sleeve over the ideal knee that required surgical treatment for a torn curve pair of months ago, Djokovic encountered Nadal in the 2nd round as well as eliminated his longtime competitor in straight sets. Right now Djokovic is the earliest man to win the single people gold in his sport due to the fact that 1908-- as well as he prevented Spain's Alcaraz, that is 21, coming from coming to be the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic loses to his legs after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to gain his 1st profession gold medal. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the triumph was his, due to one final forehand victor, Djokovic turned towards his team in the positions-- sitting in front of his wife as well as their 2 youngsters-- fell his noise as well as knelt on the clay-based. As emotional as ever before, he sobbed and also covered his face, at that point rose and also snatched a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After caress in the positions, Djokovic swung the banner." In the hard instants, he gave it an additional press," Alcaraz mentioned with his very own rips. "It injures to shed enjoy this." The ultimate, which lasted 2 hrs, fifty moments in spite of being made a decision in simply pair of sets, was a rematch of the Wimbledon championship 3 full weeks ago that Alcaraz gained to comply with up his French Open headline in June.Alcaraz also beat Djokovic in in 2013's last at the All of England Club, yet Djokovic succeeded when they complied with in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the annual clay-court event secured at Roland Garros, the internet site utilized for tennis in the course of these Olympics.Sunday's contest was actually a fascinating matchup, including one of the best to ever before do it in Djokovic, as well as the most effective at the moment in Alcaraz. Indeed, it can possess been actually disheartening for Djokovic to find themself once more throughout the net coming from a more youthful, faster variation of himself. Maybe that's why Djokovic often found and gesticulated and sputtered toward his attendee box.Still, he prevailed." Honestly, when the swan song underwent him, past him, that was actually the only instant I in fact believed I can gain the suit," Djokovic said.It called for long substitutions full of excellent ball-striking, quick drop gos-- Alcaraz's tended to be extra successful, sometimes therefore great Djokovic declined to even provide pursuit-- and also enormous sprinting, moving, stretching self defense at each ends. They offered thus well that neither received equalized the moment: Djokovic saved 8 break factors, Alcaraz six.Most remarkable, maybe, was how precisely each males played, even with the talent of the hostility and also stress of the occasion.The simply shame, perhaps, for the fans-- and normally, Alcaraz-- was that the Olympics uses a best-of-three-set layout, rather than the best-of-five at Grand Slam events. Produce indisputable, this conflict between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic as well as No. 2-seeded Alcaraz deserved a primary final.Those in the stands entered into the series, continuously bursting out right into choruses of "No-le! No-le!" or even "Car-los! Car-los!" that typically overlapped, making a sonant fugue. In the second collection, as Alcaraz sought to install a return, his advocates began chanting, "Si, se puede!" (generally, "Yes, you can!") while shaking their red-and-yellow banners. Chair moderator Damien Dumusois from time to time told folks to continue to be noiseless throughout the action.Yet the spot also became as peaceful as a theater between factors, sufficient to ensure play was postponed quickly when the air thick with anticipation was actually punctured through a little one's crying.Both males played to the group. When Alcaraz dashed to arrive at one decline chance as well as down payment it over the net for a victor, he basked in the raucous reaction through directing his right forefinger to his ear. When Djokovic entwined a cross-court forehand champion on the go to top a 10-shot indicate lead 3-2 in the second sudden death, he swayed both arms cost to promote people that presently were standing up and also screaming.The initial collection alone lasted more than 1 1/2 hours, loaded with legendary gos as well as impressive activities. One game lasted 18 points topped greater than a dozen thrilling moments, consisting of 5 break chances for Alcaraz, just before Djokovic managed to carry for a 5-4 top. In the sudden death, Djokovic was superior in crunch time, as he thus frequently is actually, taking the last four points.At 3-all, Alcaraz provided a physical body offer, yet Djokovic moved merely sufficient to his left to slap a cross-court forehand profit winner. After two errors by Alcaraz, Djokovic created a volley champion as well as relied on face his family with a fist had high.Another collection, and one more tiebreaker, eventually, and Djokovic had that medal that he preferred, at long last.When the Serbian nationwide anthem ended up sounding out at Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic grabbed that gold and delivered it to his lips for a kiss.