.PARIS-- For all of his Grand Slam champions as well as other titles, for all of his opportunity at No. 1, Novak Djokovic really, actually desired an Olympic gold medal for Serbia, the last notable success missing out on coming from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He ultimately got one at age 37, and also it doesn't matter a little bit the length of time it took.Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3 ), 7-6 (2) in a fascinating and uniformly matched guys's tennis songs last at the 2024 Games on Sunday." I place my center, my soul, my body, my family members-- my every little thing-- vulnerable to succeed Olympic gold," Djokovic mentioned. "Extraordinary struggle. Unbelievable match." Editor's Picks2 RelatedHis excellent occupation already included a guys's- report 24 Conquest prizes as well as the best weeks spent atop in the ranks through any type of man or woman. It additionally presently had a Summer season Olympics medal, from 2008, however it was actually a bronze-- as well as he produced it very clear that simply wasn't sufficient.Until he surpassed bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was actually 0-3 in that cycle at the Games. He lost to the resulting gold victor each time: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at London in 2012, as well as Alexander Zverev in Tokyo three years ago.Before dealing with Musetti, Djokovic stated, "I resembled, 'OK, allow's make it through this one.' That is actually why today, before the fit, I carried out not experience as tense as I will normally feel, given that I had actually gotten a medal." In Paris, using a gray sleeve over the ideal knee that needed surgical treatment for a torn lens pair of months earlier, Djokovic experienced Nadal in the 2nd round as well as eliminated his long time rival in straight sets. Now Djokovic is actually the oldest guy to win the singles gold in his sport because 1908-- as well as he avoided Spain's Alcaraz, that is actually 21, coming from becoming the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic drops to his knees after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to gain his initial job gold award. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the triumph was his, because of one final forehand winner, Djokovic turned towards his staff in the positions-- being in front of his partner and also their 2 children-- dropped his noise as well as knelt on the clay-based. As emotional as ever before, he wailed and also covered his face, after that rose and also grabbed a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After hugs in the stands, Djokovic waved the flag." In the hard instants, he gave it an extra push," Alcaraz stated with his own tears. "It injures to lose similar to this." The last, which lasted 2 hrs, fifty moments regardless of being determined in only 2 sets, was a rematch of the Wimbledon title match 3 full weeks ago that Alcaraz succeeded to observe up his French Open headline in June.Alcaraz additionally beat Djokovic in in 2014's last at the All England Club, however Djokovic won when they satisfied in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the yearly clay-court competition secured at Roland Garros, the site utilized for tennis in the course of these Olympics.Sunday's contest was a fascinating matchup, including one of the most ideal to ever before perform it in Djokovic, as well as the very best currently in Alcaraz. Undoubtedly, it could have been actually frustrating for Djokovic to discover himself once more across the web coming from a younger, faster version of himself. Maybe that's why Djokovic regularly looked up and gestured as well as whispered towards his visitor box.Still, he triumphed." Truthfully, when the last shot looked at him, past him, that was the only second I in fact assumed I can easily gain the match," Djokovic said.It needed long exchanges full of excellent ball-striking, ingenious reduce shots-- Alcaraz's usually tended to be extra successful, in some cases therefore good Djokovic decreased to even offer pursuit-- and significant sprinting, sliding, stretching protection at each ends. They provided so properly that neither got recovered cost when: Djokovic spared eight rest factors, Alcaraz six.Most impressive, perhaps, was actually just how precisely both guys played, in spite of the talent of the hostility as well as pressure of the occasion.The simply shame, maybe, for the supporters-- and normally, Alcaraz-- was that the Olympics makes use of a best-of-three-set style, as opposed to the best-of-five at Grand Slam competitions. Help make no mistake, this meet between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic and No. 2-seeded Alcaraz deserved a significant final.Those in the positions became part of the program, repetitively breaking out right into choruses of "No-le! No-le!" or "Car-los! Car-los!" that commonly overlapped, making a theatrical fugue. In the second collection, as Alcaraz tried to mount a resurgence, his promoters started chanting, "Si, se puede!" (basically, "Yes, you can!") while trembling their red-and-yellow flags. Seat moderator Damien Dumusois sometimes reminded individuals to stay soundless in the course of the action.Yet the area additionally came to be as quiet as a cinema in between aspects, enough so that play was actually put off quickly when the air close expectancy was pierced through a kid's crying.Both guys participated in to the crowd. When Alcaraz competed to reach one decline shot as well as deposit it over the net for a victor, he indulged in the raucous reaction through aiming his correct index finger to his ear. When Djokovic laced a cross-court forehand champion on the run to cap a 10-shot indicate lead 3-2 in the second tiebreaker, he swung both upper arms expenses to motivate folks that actually were actually standing up and also screaming.The 1st set alone lasted much more than 1 1/2 hrs, full of epic shots and legendary games. One game lasted 18 points topped greater than a number of enchanting moments, featuring five break odds for Alcaraz, just before Djokovic handled to hold for a 5-4 lead. In the sudden death, Djokovic was superior in , as he so often is actually, taking the last 4 points.At 3-all, Alcaraz delivered a physical body serve, yet Djokovic slid merely good enough to his left to punch a cross-court forehand yield champion. After pair of mistakes by Alcaraz, Djokovic made a battery winner as well as looked to encounter his household with a hand had high.Another set, as well as another tiebreaker, later on, and also Djokovic possessed that medal that he yearned for, at long last.When the Serbian national anthem completed ringing out at Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic reached for that gold as well as took it to his lips for a caress.