.PARIS-- For each of his Grand Slam champions as well as other headlines, for each one of his opportunity at No. 1, Novak Djokovic definitely, actually yearned for an Olympic gold medal for Serbia, the final considerable accomplishment missing out on from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He lastly acquired 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 and also evenly matched males's tennis songs final at the 2024 Gamings on Sunday." I place my heart, my soul, my body system, my household-- my every little thing-- vulnerable to gain Olympic gold," Djokovic stated. "Fabulous war. Fabulous match." Editor's Picks2 RelatedHis exceptional occupation already included a guys's- report 24 Grand Slam prizes as well as the absolute most full weeks invested atop in the positions through any sort of guy or woman. It also already contained a Summer season Olympics medal, coming from 2008, yet it was a bronze-- and he produced it clear that merely wasn't sufficient.Until he surpassed bronze champion Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was 0-3 during that round at the Gamings. He shed to the possible gold champion each opportunity: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at Greater London in 2012, and Alexander Zverev in Tokyo three years ago.Before facing Musetti, Djokovic claimed, "I felt like, 'OK, allow's make it through this.' That is actually why today, before the complement, I performed not feel as anxious as I would usually believe, because I had protected a medal." In Paris, wearing a grey sleeve over the correct knee that demanded surgery for a torn crescent two months ago, Djokovic dealt with Nadal in the 2nd cycle and also removed his longtime rival in straight sets. Right now Djokovic is the oldest male to win the single people gold in his sporting activity considering that 1908-- and he stopped Spain's Alcaraz, that is actually 21, from ending up being the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic goes down to his legs after hammering Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to win his very first profession gold medal. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the victory was his, thanks to one last forehand victor, Djokovic turned toward his crew in the positions-- sitting in front of his wife and their two kids-- fell his noise and knelt on the clay. As psychological as ever before, he cried and covered his face, at that point rose and got a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After squeezes in the stands, Djokovic waved the flag." In the difficult seconds, he provided it an additional press," Alcaraz claimed by means of his personal rips. "It harms to lose similar to this." The last, which lasted 2 hours, 50 mins despite being chosen in just two sets, was actually a rematch of the Wimbledon title match three full weeks ago that Alcaraz won to observe up his French Open label in June.Alcaraz likewise beat Djokovic in last year's final at the All England Nightclub, but Djokovic gained when they satisfied in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the annual clay-court tournament kept at Roland Garros, the site used for tennis in the course of these Olympics.Sunday's contest was actually an enthralling match, featuring some of the best to ever before perform it in Djokovic, as well as the most ideal presently in Alcaraz. Indeed, it might possess been discouraging for Djokovic to locate himself once again around the net coming from a more youthful, faster model of himself. Possibly that is actually why Djokovic often found and gestured and whispered towards his attendee box.Still, he came out on top." Honestly, when the last shot experienced him, past him, that was the only minute I in fact assumed I can win the suit," Djokovic said.It called for long swaps full of superb ball-striking, skilled reduce tries-- Alcaraz's usually tended to become much more effective, often thus really good Djokovic decreased to also give hunt-- and also incredible sprinting, moving, extending defense at both ends. They offered therefore effectively that neither acquired recovered cost the moment: Djokovic conserved eight breather points, Alcaraz six.Most outstanding, probably, was actually just how precisely both men participated in, despite the skill of the opposition and stress of the occasion.The just shame, perhaps, for the enthusiasts-- and normally, Alcaraz-- was actually that the Olympics makes use of a best-of-three-set format, as opposed to the best-of-five at Grand Slam tournaments. Help make indisputable, this encounter in between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic and No. 2-seeded Alcaraz deserved a primary final.Those in the stands entered into the show, repetitively breaking out into carolers of "No-le! No-le!" or even "Car-los! Car-los!" that often overlapped, producing a theatrical fugue. In the second collection, as Alcaraz attempted to position a resurgence, his supporters began shouting, "Si, se puede!" (essentially, "Yes, you can!") while trembling their red-and-yellow flags. Office chair peacemaker Damien Dumusois from time to time reminded people to stay silent during the course of the action.Yet the area additionally ended up being as quiet as a cinema between points, enough in order that play was delayed quickly when the sky thick with anticipation was punctured through a young kid's crying.Both men participated in to the crowd. When Alcaraz raced to get to one reduce go as well as deposit it over the web for a victor, he indulged in the raucous reaction through directing his appropriate forefinger to his ear. When Djokovic tied a cross-court forehand winner on the run to cap a 10-shot suggest lead 3-2 in the second tiebreaker, he swayed both arms expenses to motivate people who presently were actually standing and also screaming.The 1st collection alone lasted more than 1 1/2 hours, packed with legendary tries as well as epic video games. One video game lasted 18 aspects topped more than a loads magical minutes, including five break opportunities for Alcaraz, just before Djokovic dealt with to contain for a 5-4 lead. In the sudden death, Djokovic was superior in , as he therefore often is actually, taking the final four points.At 3-all, Alcaraz delivered a physical body serve, but Djokovic slid simply sufficient to his left to slap a cross-court forehand gain winner. After two mistakes through Alcaraz, Djokovic produced a battery champion and counted on encounter his family along with a first hosted high.Another collection, and also one more tiebreaker, later, as well as Djokovic possessed that award that he preferred, at lengthy last.When the Serbian national anthem finished ringing out at Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic reached for that gold and also delivered it to his lips for an embrace.