.PARIS-- For all of his Conquest champions and various other labels, for each of his time at No. 1, Novak Djokovic actually, really wished an Olympic gold medal for Serbia, the last substantial success missing out on from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He lastly got one at grow older 37, and also never mind a bit how much time it took.Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3 ), 7-6 (2) in an appealing as well as uniformly matched males's ping pong single people last at the 2024 Games on Sunday." I put my heart, my spirit, my body, my household-- my everything-- vulnerable to succeed Olympic gold," Djokovic claimed. "Amazing struggle. Extraordinary fight." Editor's Picks2 RelatedHis outstanding job presently featured a guys's- document 24 Conquest trophies and the best weeks devoted atop in the ranks through any sort of male or even lady. It also already contained a Summer season Olympics award, from 2008, yet it was actually a bronze-- as well as he produced it crystal clear that just had not been sufficient.Until he surpassed bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was 0-3 during that cycle at the Gamings. He dropped to the eventual gold victor each opportunity: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at Greater London in 2012, and also Alexander Zverev in Tokyo 3 years ago.Before encountering Musetti, Djokovic said, "I was like, 'OK, allow's survive this.' That's why today, before the suit, I carried out certainly not think as tense as I would usually experience, considering that I had actually gotten a medal." In Paris, putting on a grey sleeve over the right knee that called for surgery for a torn crescent 2 months ago, Djokovic dealt with Nadal in the 2nd round as well as removed his longtime rival in straight collections. Right now Djokovic is the earliest guy to win the songs gold in his sport because 1908-- as well as he protected against Spain's Alcaraz, who is 21, coming from becoming the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic goes down to his knees after hammering Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to gain his initial profession gold award. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the success was his, because of one last forehand victor, Djokovic turned towards his group in the stands-- partaking front of his other half and also their two little ones-- lost his noise and knelt on the clay. As mental as ever before, he burst into tears and also covered his face, then advanced as well as nabbed a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After caress in the positions, Djokovic swung the flag." In the challenging minutes, he gave it an additional press," Alcaraz said via his own splits. "It injures to shed such as this." The last, which lasted 2 hours, fifty moments even with being chosen in just 2 sets, was actually a rematch of the Wimbledon championship three weeks ago that Alcaraz succeeded to follow up his French Open label in June.Alcaraz additionally beat Djokovic in in 2013's last at the All of England Nightclub, yet Djokovic won when they met in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the yearly clay-court tournament secured at Roland Garros, the web site utilized for ping pong in the course of these Olympics.Sunday's contest was an appealing competition, featuring some of the most ideal to ever before perform it in Djokovic, as well as the very best right now in Alcaraz. Indeed, it could have been actually frustrating for Djokovic to find himself once again throughout the internet from a younger, faster variation of himself. Perhaps that's why Djokovic frequently searched for as well as gestured and also murmured towards his attendee box.Still, he came out on top." Truthfully, when the swan song experienced him, past him, that was actually the only moment I actually thought I may succeed the suit," Djokovic said.It needed long substitutions full of excellent ball-striking, skilled decrease gos-- Alcaraz's had a tendency to be a lot more prosperous, often so really good Djokovic decreased to even offer hunt-- and also enormous sprinting, sliding, stretching self defense at each ends. They provided therefore well that not either got equalized as soon as: Djokovic conserved eight break aspects, Alcaraz six.Most outstanding, possibly, was actually exactly how safely each males played, despite the talent of the resistance and stress of the occasion.The merely pity, possibly, for the followers-- and also normally, Alcaraz-- was actually that the Olympics uses a best-of-three-set layout, as opposed to the best-of-five at Grand Slam tournaments. Help make no mistake, this encounter between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic as well as No. 2-seeded Alcaraz was worthy of a major final.Those in the positions entered into the program, repetitively breaking out into carolers of "No-le! No-le!" or "Car-los! Car-los!" that usually overlapped, developing an orchestral fugue. In the second collection, as Alcaraz sought to install a resurgence, his advocates began chanting, "Si, se puede!" (essentially, "Yes, you can!") while shaking their red-and-yellow flags. Seat moderator Damien Dumusois sometimes advised individuals to continue to be silent throughout the action.Yet the area also came to be as quiet as a theater between points, sufficient to make sure that play was actually delayed quickly when the air thick with anticipation was pierced by a young child's crying.Both guys participated in to the group. When Alcaraz raced to arrive at one decline chance and deposit it over the web for a victor, he indulged the raucous response by directing his appropriate index finger to his ear. When Djokovic tied a cross-court forehand champion on the go to cap a 10-shot indicate lead 3-2 in the second sudden death, he swayed both upper arms expenses to promote folks that already were standing as well as screaming.The initial collection alone lasted much more than 1 1/2 hrs, filled with legendary shots as well as epic video games. One activity lasted 18 factors topped much more than a loads enchanting moments, including five break chances for Alcaraz, just before Djokovic managed to hold for a 5-4 lead. In the sudden death, Djokovic transcended in , as he so usually is, taking the last 4 points.At 3-all, Alcaraz supplied a body offer, yet Djokovic glided only sufficient to his left to slap a cross-court forehand gain victor. After 2 oversights by Alcaraz, Djokovic made a volley winner as well as looked to encounter his family members with a fist conducted high.Another set, and another tiebreaker, later on, and also Djokovic had that medal that he preferred, at long last.When the Serbian national anthem completed sounding out at Court of law Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic reached for that gold as well as took it to his lips for an embrace.