TNT Sports
Djokovic beats Alcaraz - Olympic tennis men's singles gold medal match - as it happened
By
Published 04/08/2024 at 13:49 GMT+1
Carlos Alcaraz faces Novak Djokovic as looks to continue a remarkable season with gold medal in the men's singles tennis tournamnet at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. However, the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion will be up against the most successful man in the sport who will also be looking to add a first Olympic gold to his haul.
Watch emotional scenes as Djokovic celebrates finally making an Olympic final
Video credit: TNT Sports
REACTION FROM DJOKOVIC
The new Olympic champion has given his reaction to an "incredible" performance and match.
“[It was] an incredible battle and fight. When the last shot went past him, it was the only moment I thought I could win the match," said Djokovic.
“I mean I believed I could win, but to actually win it… To win Olympic gold at 37, I finally did it. Most of all, it’s my country.
“The pride of playing for Serbia. I know Carlos [Alcaraz] and Rafa [Nadal] love to play for Spain, Andy [Murray] loves to play for Great Britain. Roger [Federer] for Switzerland. Alex Zverev won at Tokyo for Germany.
“You saw the reactions of all these guys when they win; it’s something special.
“It was fair to finish both sets on a tie break. We both had our chances to break but when it mattered, we both came up with some big serves and plays.
“I put my heart, my soul, my body, my family, everything on the line.”
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/4018700-81511648-2560-1440.jpg)
Watch as ecstatic Djokovic collapses to ground after beating Alcaraz for Olympic gold
Video credit: TNT Sports
DJOKOVIC WINS OLYMPIC GOLD! DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 7-6(2) ALCARAZ
He has done it! Novak Djokovic is the men's singles Olympic champion!
The 37-year-old has become just the fifth player in history to complete the Golden Slam and is the oldest gold medal winner in the men's singles.
The Serbian drops his racquet, shakes Alcaraz' hand and falls to his knees in tears following a final whipped forehand that the Spaniard could get nowhere near.
You can see his hands and arms shaking with emotion before he raises the Serbian flag to the Roland-Garros crowd. Incredible scenes.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/4018659.jpg)
Image credit: Getty Images
TIE-BREAK LATEST: DJOKOVIC 3-2 ALCARAZ
Djokovic brings down the roof with a ridiculous cross-court forehand to restore his mini-break.
That could be the shot of the match and that certainly is saying something.
TIE-BREAK LATEST: DJOKOVIC 2-0 ALCARAZ
And Djokovic takes a mini-break, which could be worth its weight in gold in the end.
He then holds, in spite of shouts from the crowd as he's preparing for a second serve. Nerveless.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 6-6 ALCARAZ
Djokovic is not messing about and stands tall in the face of a potential set loss, getting his own love-hold to take this match to a tie-break.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 5-6 ALCARAZ
And there it is.
Alcaraz pulls off his second hold-to-love of the match and guarantees himself at least a tie-break.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 5-5 ALCARAZ
And the pattern continues: Alcaraz made to work on his serve, and Djokovic holding comfortably.
Well, that is if you consider winning a game without going to deuce as 'comfortable'.
Alcaraz fails to return a Djokovic smash at 40-30 and surely this set is going to another tie-break.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 4-5 ALCARAZ
But Alcaraz' focus returns for what seems like it will be another comfortable hold, his second in a row.
In truth, there has hardly been a comfortable point in this match, let alone a game. Djokovic rallies from 0-40 to deuce, incredibly.
A mammoth rally feels set to go on forever, until Alcaraz plays his trump with a drop shot and carefully evades his opponent on the return. He wraps up the hold with an unbeatable smash.
A reminder that there is yet to be a full break of serve in this match.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 4-4 ALCARAZ
It is Alcaraz' turn to show his frustration after missing the chance for a break point.
And the emotions get the better of him when Djokovic pulls ahead from deuce, striking the dusty clay with his racquet.
A loose backhand from the Spaniard feels far too casual at this stage in the match and he knows it.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 3-4 ALCARAZ
Now Djokovic misses a volley uncharacteristically and he has a few intense words with his coach as Alcaraz finally finds a straightforward hold.
The Serb really was not at the races for that game.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 3-3 ALCARAZ
Djokovic shows off all his powers of survival to defend an onslaught from Alcaraz and the youngster is far too casual with his volley as the Serb comfortably holds once more.
HOW TO WATCH?
You can enjoy every nerve-jangling point LIVE on discovery+ the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 2-3 ALCARAZ
As if to prove the point below, Alcaraz again sees his serve go to deuce but not before he wows the Roland-Garros crowd with an inexplicable hook shot.
Surprise, surprise, there is still no break as Alcaraz hangs on to hold.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 2-2 ALCARAZ
No trouble for Djokovic who tallies another love-hold.
The Serb seemed to make hard work out of his serves in the first set, but it is Alcaraz who cannot find a rest on his serve in the second.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 1-2 ALCARAZ
Oof. Another errant forehand flies well past the baseline from Alcaraz, but the Spaniard follows that up with the direct antithesis of an errant forehand to take it to deuce.
His fiery serve is too hot for Djokovic to handle and up goes a roar of "VAMOS!" from the youngster.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/4018582.jpg)
Image credit: Getty Images
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 1-1 ALCARAZ
At last there is a break from the drama of deuce and Djokovic wraps up his second love-hold of the match. The Serb is watching his opponent like a hawk when he feels like he has time, and frankly even when he doesn't.
Alcaraz goes one way and Djokovic plays the ball straight down the other.
DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) 0-1 ALCARAZ
There's a nervy moment for Djokovic, who loses his footing on the Roland-Garros clay and for a moment you wonder if his knee can take another gruelling set.
In contrast, Alcaraz shows his youthful exuberance to get a hold on the board, opting to play a drop shot on the volley when the smash was ripe for the picking.
For what feels like the umpteenth time in this match, the game goes to deuce and the server ends up holding.
SET! - DJOKOVIC 7-6(3) ALCARAZ
It's no surprise to see the tie-break follow the same pattern as the rest of the set, which has gone past the 1:30 hour mark by the way.
Six consecutive holds and the pattern is broken when Djokovic squeezes in a superb forehand return on the line.
He holds his serve in the next two points and reads Alcaraz' drop shot to perfection, reaching it just in time to send the ball into a place that even the Spaniard cannot reach.
Just the 95 minutes for that first set.
The Serb is one away from the Golden Slam.
DJOKOVIC 6-6 ALCARAZ
Even Djokovic is applauding now.
Specifically, the Serb shows his appreciation for Alcaraz' stupendous return in the face of a wondrous cross-court backhand. The Spaniard follows that up with an irretrievable drop shot.
Djokovic brings it back to 30-30 - the fourth game in a row the pair have found themselves at this scoreline.
And as Alcaraz gets advantage by forcing Djokovic wide, the veteran simply shrugs his shoulders. What more can he do?
It's tie-break time.
DJOKOVIC 6-5 ALCARAZ
Alcaraz cannot find a break in the first set.
A Djokovic serve-volley helps him to 40-30 and the Serb manages to reach a drop shot but leaves space behind exposed. Alcaraz attempts to lob his opponent but his effort falls just long.
DJOKOVIC 5-5 ALCARAZ
Alcaraz' serve comes to the fore once more and while Djokovic puts a modicum of pressure on the Spaniard, the youngster wraps up the game with an unreachable forehand down the line.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/4018531.jpg)
Image credit: Getty Images
DJOKOVIC 5-4 ALCARAZ
The fabled break of serve is in Alcaraz sights at 30-0. Predictably, it's not that straightforward for the Spaniard as Djokovic brings it back to 30-30.
Incredible defence from Alcaraz sees the Serb find the net with his smash, but Djokovic does not make the same mistake twice after digging out a ludicrous drop.
The 21-year-old allows himself an expressive double fist clench celebration after winning the latest in a series of astounding rallies to get a second break point. But the game is far from won.
After five break points, yes five, Djokovic eventually gains the upper hand, and, at the second time of asking, converts his advantage.
There really is no time nor space to get across the ridiculousness of each point. Rest assured, this is tennis from the gods.
What a game and what a match we are witnessing right now.
DJOKOVIC 4-4 ALCARAZ
Anything you can do...
Alcaraz produces his own love-hold to get back on level terms and as we get closer to the end of the first set, you can feel the tension mount on every point.
DJOKOVIC 4-3 ALCARAZ
Djokovic replies with a love-hold.
Midway through, Alcaraz lets out a roar to the sky as his slide for a forehand goes awry.
The way this match is going, any break of serve would be absolute gold dust.
DJOKOVIC 3-3 ALCARAZ
After two blockbuster epics, Alcaraz serves up a straightforward hold to quieten things down.
A devastating cross-court forehand the pick of the shots from the Spaniard.
DJOKOVIC 3-2 ALCARAZ
Djokovic is moving his opponent relentlessly across the court, but Alcaraz keeps coming up with the answers. Again, we go to deuce and the 37-year-old seems to slip uncomfortably on his knee.
Nothing wrong with it as he serve-volleys to rescue yet another break point, though. Alcaraz gets three in total but can't get over the line.
The quality of tennis on show is simply incredible by the way.
DJOKOVIC 2-2 ALCARAZ
Incredible. Alcaraz is showing some sloppiness with his forehand at the start of the game and Djokovic punishes it to enjoy at least three break points - three break points which he squanders.
Alcaraz roars back from 0-40 and slams the first ace of the match to go from nowhere to advantage. One superb drop shot later and Alcaraz rescues a vital hold.
Ouch, that has got to sting the Serb.
DJOKOVIC 2-1 ALCARAZ
Djokovic inexplicably misses his smash and there is the first sign of some frustration emanating from him as Alcaraz goes 30-0 up.
However, that's the last point the Spaniard wins in the game and Djokovic can breathe again.
DJOKOVIC 1-1 ALCARAZ
Alcaraz' wide serve really is something to behold. In consecutive points, Djokovic can do little more than reach and return before the 21-year-old places it effortlessly to the other side.
Despite this, Djokovic somehow forces deuce and Alcaraz subsequently finds the net. At break point, the Spaniard pulls out an audacious drop shot and once again his serve is too strong for the 37-year-old.
Djokovic offers a drop shot of his own but it is ultimately in vain as Alcaraz finally wraps up his first hold. It was far from easy, though.
DJOKOVIC 1-0 ALCARAZ
Djokovic draws first blood with a comfortable hold. Well, fairly comfortable.
At 40-0 down, Alcaraz counters his opponent's drop shot with one of his own and the Serb goes long on the next point. The Spaniard can't return a searing serve though and Djokovic takes the lead.
HERE WE GO!
Carlos Alcaraz wins the toss and opts to receive first.
HISTORY ON THE LINE
Whichever way this final goes, new entries in the history books beckon. Djokovic will become just the fifth singles player, male or female, to complete the career Golden Slam - Steffi Graff, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams are the only individuals to have won all four Grand Slams plus Olympic gold.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, can become the second man to win the French Open, Wimbledon and Olympic Games in the same calendar year, after fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
Incidentally, we will also see the oldest AND youngest men to contest an Olympic men's singles final in history today.
H2H
This really is a mouth-watering match in prospect. The pair have met six times previously with three wins apiece, though the Spaniard has the edge in terms of finals. Djokovic was beaten in the last two Wimbledon finals by Alcaraz, their latest meeting ending 6-2 6-2 7-6(4).
But on the clay of Roland-Garros, the Serb came out on top in the French Open semi-final back in 2023. This will be both players' first Olympic final. Djokovic already has a bronze medal under his belt from Beijing 2008, while his opponent has secured a medal on his Olympic debut.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/07/15/4003226-81240233-2560-1440.jpg)
Wimbledon Day 14 highlights: Alcaraz conquers Djokovic again to win second men's title
Video credit: SNTV
GOOD AFTERNOON
Hello and welcome to our LIVE updates from the men's singles Olympic gold medal match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
The players are set to take to Court Philippe Chatrier at the conclusion of the women's bronze medal match, which has just been won by Spanish pair Cristina Bucsa and Sara Tormo Sorribes. Promising portents for compatriot Alcaraz?
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/08/04/4018374.jpg)
Image credit: Getty Images
- - -
discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement