.PARIS-- For all of his Grand Slam champions and also various other headlines, for each of his time at No. 1, Novak Djokovic definitely, truly wished an Olympic gold medal for Serbia, the last considerable accomplishment missing out on coming from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He eventually got one at grow older 37, as well as it matters not a bit for how long it took.Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3 ), 7-6 (2) in a fascinating and uniformly matched guys's ping pong singles final at the 2024 Gamings on Sunday." I put my heart, my spirit, my body, my loved ones-- my every thing-- on the line to succeed Olympic gold," Djokovic claimed. "Fabulous battle. Awesome match." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedHis remarkable occupation currently featured a males's- file 24 Grand Slam prizes as well as the most weeks devoted atop in the ranks by any type of man or woman. It additionally presently consisted of a Summer months Olympics medal, coming from 2008, but it was actually a bronze-- and he made it crystal clear that simply wasn't sufficient.Until he got past bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was actually 0-3 in that cycle at the Gamings. He lost to the eventual gold winner each time: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at London in 2012, as well as Alexander Zverev in Tokyo three years ago.Before experiencing Musetti, Djokovic mentioned, "I felt like, 'OK, permit's get through this set.' That's why today, prior to the complement, I carried out certainly not experience as tense as I will ordinarily feel, due to the fact that I had actually safeguarded an award." In Paris, putting on a grey sleeve over the best leg that demanded surgical procedure for a torn curve pair of months earlier, Djokovic encountered Nadal in the second round and removed his longtime rival in straight sets. Right now Djokovic is actually the earliest man to win the singles gold in his sporting activity because 1908-- as well as he stopped Spain's Alcaraz, who is actually 21, from becoming the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic drops to his knees after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to gain his first occupation gold award. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the victory was his, thanks to one last forehand champion, Djokovic switched towards his team in the stands-- partaking front of his better half as well as their two children-- fell his noise and knelt on the clay. As emotional as ever before, he wailed and covered his face, at that point progressed as well as nabbed a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After squeezes in the stands, Djokovic swayed the banner." In the hard moments, he provided it an additional press," Alcaraz stated with his personal splits. "It hurts to lose such as this." The final, which lasted 2 hours, 50 minutes despite being decided in only pair of collections, was actually a rematch of the Wimbledon title match 3 weeks ago that Alcaraz won to comply with up his French Open label in June.Alcaraz likewise beat Djokovic in in 2014's ultimate at the All of England Nightclub, however Djokovic succeeded when they fulfilled in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the yearly clay-court tournament secured at Roland Garros, the site utilized for ping pong throughout these Olympics.Sunday's contest was actually an enthralling match, including one of the most effective to ever before do it in Djokovic, and also the most ideal currently in Alcaraz. Indeed, it can have been actually discouraging for Djokovic to locate themself once again across the net coming from a younger, faster version of himself. Possibly that is actually why Djokovic regularly searched for and also gestured and also whispered toward his visitor box.Still, he triumphed." Frankly, when the swan song looked at him, past him, that was actually the only minute I in fact thought I may gain the suit," Djokovic said.It needed long exchanges filled with excellent ball-striking, nimble reduce gos-- Alcaraz's had a tendency to become even more productive, occasionally therefore great Djokovic dropped to even give hunt-- and tremendous sprinting, sliding, flexing defense at each ends. They provided therefore well that neither received recovered cost the moment: Djokovic conserved eight breather points, Alcaraz six.Most amazing, maybe, was actually how precisely each guys played, despite the skill of the resistance and stress of the occasion.The merely embarassment, possibly, for the followers-- as well as naturally, Alcaraz-- was that the Olympics uses a best-of-three-set style, as opposed to the best-of-five at Grand Slam events. Produce indisputable, this experience in between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic and also No. 2-seeded Alcaraz deserved a major final.Those in the positions entered into the show, consistently breaking out into choruses of "No-le! No-le!" or "Car-los! Car-los!" that frequently overlapped, producing a sonant fugue. In the 2nd collection, as Alcaraz attempted to install a revival, his followers started chanting, "Si, se puede!" (generally, "Yes, you can!") while drinking their red-and-yellow flags. Office chair peacemaker Damien Dumusois sometimes told folks to continue to be soundless during the course of the action.Yet the place also became as quiet as a theater between factors, sufficient so that play was actually put off for a while when the sky close expectancy was actually punctured by a young kid's crying.Both guys participated in to the group. When Alcaraz competed to hit one reduce shot and also deposit it over the internet for a winner, he indulged the raucous reaction by aiming his best index finger to his ear. When Djokovic tied a cross-court forehand victor on the go to cap a 10-shot lead to lead 3-2 in the 2nd tiebreaker, he swayed both upper arms expenses to urge people who currently were actually standing up and also screaming.The first set alone lasted greater than 1 1/2 hours, full of legendary shots and also legendary video games. One activity lasted 18 points spread over more than a loads magical minutes, including five rest odds for Alcaraz, before Djokovic dealt with to hold for a 5-4 top. In the sudden death, Djokovic transcended in , as he therefore usually is actually, taking the final four points.At 3-all, Alcaraz delivered a physical body offer, however Djokovic glided only good enough to his left to slap a cross-court forehand gain winner. After pair of oversights by Alcaraz, Djokovic generated a battery victor and turned to face his family along with a first conducted high.Another set, and yet another tiebreaker, eventually, and also Djokovic possessed that medal that he wished, at lengthy last.When the Serbian national anthem ended up ringing out at Court of law Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic reached for that gold and also took it to his lips for a caress.