.PARIS-- For each of his Conquest championships and also other headlines, for all of his opportunity at No. 1, Novak Djokovic definitely, definitely wanted an Olympic gold medal for Serbia, the last notable accomplishment missing out on from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He lastly obtained one at grow older 37, and also it matters not a little the length of time it took.Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3 ), 7-6 (2) in an appealing and uniformly matched males's tennis single people last at the 2024 Games on Sunday." I place my heart, my soul, my body system, my loved ones-- my every thing-- on the line to gain Olympic gold," Djokovic said. "Incredible fight. Fabulous fight." Editor's Picks2 RelatedHis remarkable career currently included a men's- file 24 Conquest trophies and the most weeks invested atop in the ranks through any sort of man or girl. It also presently contained a Summer months Olympics medal, from 2008, but it was actually a bronze-- and also he created it clear that just had not been sufficient.Until he surpassed bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was 0-3 in that cycle at the Games. He dropped to the ultimate gold winner each time: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at London in 2012, and also Alexander Zverev in Tokyo three years ago.Before encountering Musetti, Djokovic stated, "I felt like, 'OK, allow's make it through this set.' That's why today, before the fit, I carried out certainly not experience as stressed as I will usually feel, given that I had actually gotten a medal." In Paris, putting on a grey sleeve over the appropriate knee that required surgical treatment for a torn crescent two months ago, Djokovic experienced Nadal in the second cycle and also removed his long time opponent in organized sets. Right now Djokovic is the earliest guy to gain the singles gold in his sport considering that 1908-- and he protected against Spain's Alcaraz, who is 21, from becoming the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic drops to his legs after hammering Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to gain his very first career gold medal. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the triumph was his, due to one final forehand champion, Djokovic turned toward his crew in the stands-- being in front of his wife and their pair of kids-- fell his racket as well as knelt on the clay. As emotional as ever, he burst into tears and covered his face, then increased and also grabbed a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After caress in the positions, Djokovic swung the banner." In the challenging minutes, he gave it an additional press," Alcaraz claimed with his personal rips. "It harms to shed like this." The ultimate, which lasted 2 hours, fifty mins even with being chosen in just two sets, was a rematch of the Wimbledon championship three full weeks ago that Alcaraz gained to adhere to up his French Open label in June.Alcaraz also defeated Djokovic in in 2014's final at the All of England Club, but Djokovic succeeded when they satisfied in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the annual clay-court event secured at Roland Garros, the website used for ping pong in the course of these Olympics.Sunday's competition was a fascinating competition, including some of the greatest to ever perform it in Djokovic, and the best at the moment in Alcaraz. Certainly, it could possess been actually irritating for Djokovic to discover himself once more around the web coming from a much younger, speedier variation of himself. Perhaps that's why Djokovic often sought out and gesticulated and also whispered towards his visitor box.Still, he triumphed." Frankly, when the last shot went through him, past him, that was the only instant I actually presumed I may win the suit," Djokovic said.It required long substitutions loaded with exceptional ball-striking, nimble decline gos-- Alcaraz's had a tendency to be much more effective, sometimes so really good Djokovic decreased to even give pursuit-- as well as tremendous sprinting, moving, flexing defense at each ends. They provided thus well that neither acquired broken even the moment: Djokovic spared eight break points, Alcaraz six.Most remarkable, perhaps, was actually how precisely each guys played, even with the ability of the opposition as well as tension of the occasion.The just pity, probably, for the supporters-- and typically, Alcaraz-- was that the Olympics uses a best-of-three-set style, as opposed to the best-of-five at Grand Slam competitions. Make no mistake, this meet in between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic and No. 2-seeded Alcaraz was worthy of a primary final.Those in the positions became part of the show, repetitively breaking out right into carolers of "No-le! No-le!" or "Car-los! Car-los!" that commonly overlapped, creating a theatrical fugue. In the 2nd set, as Alcaraz attempted to position a resurgence, his promoters began shouting, "Si, se puede!" (essentially, "Yes, you can!") while shaking their red-and-yellow banners. Office chair peacemaker Damien Dumusois occasionally reminded people to remain silent in the course of the action.Yet the location likewise ended up being as quiet as a movie theater between aspects, sufficient to ensure that play was actually postponed quickly when the air close anticipation was punctured by a young kid's crying.Both males participated in to the crowd. When Alcaraz raced to hit one decrease go and deposit it over the net for a victor, he indulged in the raucous response through directing his right forefinger to his ear. When Djokovic entwined a cross-court forehand champion on the run to cap a 10-shot lead to lead 3-2 in the 2nd sudden death, he swung both arms overhead to encourage individuals that already were standing and screaming.The initial collection alone lasted more than 1 1/2 hours, loaded with epic tries and epic games. One game lasted 18 points topped much more than a number of mesmerizing moments, consisting of five break chances for Alcaraz, just before Djokovic handled to hold for a 5-4 top. In the sudden death, Djokovic was superior in , as he so typically is actually, taking the last 4 points.At 3-all, Alcaraz delivered a body offer, however Djokovic slid just enough to his left to slap a cross-court forehand profit champion. After two errors by Alcaraz, Djokovic generated a battery victor and also relied on encounter his family members along with a hand had high.Another set, and also another sudden death, later on, as well as Djokovic possessed that medal that he desired, at lengthy last.When the Serbian national anthem finished sounding out at Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic reached for that gold as well as brought it to his lips for a caress.