Novak Djokovic chose the final of the Paris Olympics to play the best match of his season. The former world number 1 was not experiencing an exciting 2024 from a results point of view, having yet to win a title this year before today’s feat.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was considered a clear underdog against Carlos Alcaraz in the gold medal final, but has once again proved to be an immortal legend of the sport. The 37-year-old from Belgrade has expressed his best tennis on the iconic Philippe Chatrier by reversing the predictions of the eve and finally realizing his dream of winning the gold medal for the his country. Nole prevailed in two tiebreaks, making a difference at decisive moments and punishing every mistake made by the young Spaniard. Carlitos was the big favorite on the eve of this final and played a great match, but he did not expect such a level from his opponent.
The 21-year-old from Murcia burst into tears at the end of the match, He wanted to win the gold medal for Spain and continue his unbeaten period after triumphs at the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships. Djokovic and Alcaraz will both miss the Montreal Masters 1000 next week and should return to the pitch in Cincinnati, the last test before the US Open at the end of August.
Djokovic is the GOAT
Thanks to this victory, Novak Djokovic achieved yet another feat of his legendary career. Looking at all his records, it’s hard to argue that Nole isn’t the greatest tennis player of all time. “I’m overwhelmed with everything I’m feeling right now. Feeling different emotions. Too proud. Too happy. Thrilled with the possibility to win a gold for the first time in my career for my country,” Novak Djokovic explained.
“Because I can be very self critical. I don’t know. That’s one of the biggest internal battles I keep on fighting with myself. That I feel like I haven’t done enough or been enough in my life on and off the court. I know Carlos and Rafa (Nadal), they love to play for Spain. Andy (Murray) loved to play for Great Britain. Roger (Federer) for Switzerland. Alex Zverev won in Tokyo for Germany. You saw the reactions of all these guys when they win. It’s something special,” he added.
Nole is amazing
There are now few words to describe Novak Djokovic. When everyone seems to have finished it, he manages to impress again, win and convince as he has done in the last hours. The Serbian tennis player won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, the last huge achievement that was missing from his immense palmarés and now Nole has literally won everything possible and imaginable.
Sometimes critics of Djokovic find every means to denigrate his legend, Some even in the past has been able to say that Nole won Slam only thanks to lucky draws or episodic situations, the reality at 37 years is quite different. In the last few hours, an impressive figure has emerged on the Balkan tennis player, a figure that has returned to prominence after the victory against Alcaraz.
Winning against the Spaniard at the Paris Olympics, Nole has once again made things clear and is now 4-3 ahead in the previous round with the Spanish, certainly not the only one in this situation. Novak Djokovic is ahead in the previous with all other tennis players present in the Top 15; it is 4 to 3 in front both against the world number one Jannik Sinner and against Carlos Alcaraz, The new one who advances but sees Nole still dominating. There are such clean dominance as the 9-0 in the previous match against Fritz or the 12-1 and 12-2 respectively against Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The 37-year-old from Belgrade has beaten Carlos Alcaraz, who played a very good tournament and represents the future of this sport. “Honestly, I always want to win. In receiving a silver medal, I have to be very proud. I suppose I am building a great career and I hope it continues. As I said, I am proud to be in this position and to bring a medal to Spain. I am quite certain that my time will come. Someday, I will bring the gold medal to Spain. I will wait for that moment and work towards it. Right now, I have to enjoy lifting the silver, which is also quite remarkable” – the Spaniard stated.
The young Spaniard also dreamed of winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics after winning the French Open and Wimbledon Championships in the last month and a half.