.PARIS-- For each of his Grand Slam champions and various other titles, for all of his opportunity at No. 1, Novak Djokovic definitely, actually desired an Olympic gold medal for Serbia, the final significant accomplishment missing out on from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He ultimately acquired one at grow older 37, as well as no matter a little bit how much time it took.Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3 ), 7-6 (2) in an appealing and also equally matched guys's ping pong singles ultimate at the 2024 Games on Sunday." I put my heart, my soul, my body system, my loved ones-- my every thing-- on the line to succeed Olympic gold," Djokovic stated. "Awesome fight. Awesome match." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedHis impressive career already featured a men's- record 24 Grand Slam prizes and also the best weeks devoted atop in the ranks through any man or even female. It likewise presently contained a Summer Olympics award, from 2008, but it was actually a bronze-- and he created it clear that just wasn't sufficient.Until he surpassed bronze champion Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was actually 0-3 because cycle at the Games. He lost to the possible gold champion each opportunity: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at London in 2012, and Alexander Zverev in Tokyo three years ago.Before experiencing Musetti, Djokovic pointed out, "I felt like, 'OK, let's make it through this set.' That is actually why today, prior to the suit, I performed not experience as nervous as I would ordinarily believe, considering that I had secured a medal." In Paris, using a grey sleeve over the appropriate leg that demanded surgery for a torn lens two months earlier, Djokovic encountered Nadal in the 2nd cycle and also eliminated his longtime rival in organized collections. Currently Djokovic is the oldest guy to win the singles gold in his sport given that 1908-- and he stopped Spain's Alcaraz, that is 21, coming from coming to be the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic falls to his legs after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to win his first occupation gold award. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the victory was his, with the help of one final forehand winner, Djokovic turned toward his staff in the stands-- being in front of his other half as well as their 2 little ones-- lost his noise as well as knelt on the clay-based. As mental as ever, he wept and covered his face, after that increased and also grabbed a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After squeezes in the positions, Djokovic swung the banner." In the hard instants, he offered it an extra push," Alcaraz stated through his very own rips. "It injures to shed such as this." The ultimate, which lasted 2 hours, fifty minutes regardless of being decided in only two sets, was actually a rematch of the Wimbledon title match three full weeks ago that Alcaraz won to observe up his French Open headline in June.Alcaraz additionally beat Djokovic in in 2015's final at the All England Nightclub, however Djokovic gained when they satisfied in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the annual clay-court tournament held at Roland Garros, the website utilized for ping pong in the course of these Olympics.Sunday's competition was actually an appealing competition, including one of the best to ever do it in Djokovic, as well as the best presently in Alcaraz. Indeed, it can have been actually frustrating for Djokovic to locate themself once more all over the net from a more youthful, faster version of himself. Possibly that is actually why Djokovic regularly searched for as well as gestured as well as muttered towards his attendee box.Still, he triumphed." Frankly, when the swan song experienced him, past him, that was actually the only second I really thought I can easily win the match," Djokovic said.It called for long substitutions loaded with excellent ball-striking, quick reduce chances-- Alcaraz's had a tendency to be more prosperous, sometimes thus really good Djokovic decreased to even provide chase-- and also tremendous sprinting, sliding, extending protection at both ends. They served thus properly that neither got recovered cost once: Djokovic saved 8 breather points, Alcaraz six.Most impressive, maybe, was exactly how precisely each guys played, regardless of the skill of the opposition as well as stress of the occasion.The merely shame, maybe, for the supporters-- as well as typically, Alcaraz-- was actually that the Olympics makes use of a best-of-three-set format, instead of the best-of-five at Conquest competitions. Produce 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 stands entered into the program, repeatedly breaking out right into carolers of "No-le! No-le!" or "Car-los! Car-los!" that typically overlapped, producing a sonant fugue. In the second collection, as Alcaraz attempted to position a revival, his fans began chanting, "Si, se puede!" (basically, "Yes, you can!") while trembling their red-and-yellow flags. Chair umpire Damien Dumusois sometimes helped remind individuals to continue to be soundless during the action.Yet the location additionally came to be as silent as a theater in between points, good enough so that play was delayed for a while when the air thick with anticipation was actually punctured by a kid's crying.Both males played to the group. When Alcaraz raced to arrive at one decrease try and down payment it over the internet for a winner, he basked in the rowdy reaction by aiming his ideal index finger to his ear. When Djokovic tied a cross-court forehand victor on the go to top a 10-shot point to lead 3-2 in the second sudden death, he swayed both upper arms overhead to urge individuals who actually were standing up and screaming.The very first set alone lasted more than 1 1/2 hrs, full of epic chances and also epic activities. One video game lasted 18 points spread over greater than a dozen enchanting minutes, including 5 break possibilities for Alcaraz, just before Djokovic handled to hold for a 5-4 top. In the sudden death, Djokovic was superior in crunch time, as he thus usually is, taking the last 4 points.At 3-all, Alcaraz supplied a body system serve, but Djokovic slid just sufficient to his left to slap a cross-court forehand return victor. After two oversights by Alcaraz, Djokovic created a volley winner and turned to face his household with a hand held high.Another collection, and also another tiebreaker, eventually, and also Djokovic possessed that award that he desired, at lengthy last.When the Serbian national anthem finished sounding out at Court of law Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic reached for that gold and also took it to his lips for a kiss.