Novak Djokovic has finally claimed the Olympic gold that eluded him, and with it, admittance to one of the only clubs the sport has denied him entry to.
Djokovic joined the elite group of Golden Slam winners on Sunday, defeating Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) at Roland Garros.
The masterful Serbian, already the all-time leader for men’s major wins, with 24, joins Serena Williams — who was in the stands — and Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf as the only five to ever win all four slams and Olympic singles gold.
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The Serbian first played in the Games back in 2008 but arrived in Paris with only one bronze medal from four Olympics and a burning desire to finally stand on the top step of the podium.
He lost in straight sets to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final only three weeks ago and had not won a title all season but produced a superb performance.
Showing the ferocity of the battle, the two sets took two hours and 50 minutes, including a mighty 93-minute opening set.
The 37-year-old took his chance and became the oldest winner of a men’s Olympic singles gold, denying Alcaraz, 21, becoming the youngest to do so.
Djokovic rushed into the stands to celebrate with his family, letting out a scream as he embraced his daughter Tara before anyone else.
At the end of the final, one man was dreaming of the next Olympics, in Los Angeles, and the other was swept up in emotion.
It may surprise you to learn it was Djokovic — and not Alcaraz — thinking of playing a tournament four years away as a 41-year-old.
“I still want to play in Los Angeles,” he said.
“I enjoy playing for my country and the Olympic Games particularly and Davis Cup, being part of the team.”
And why not? The Serbian has defied expectations time and time again, including from surgery for a torn meniscus in the French Open, only to bounce back as a Wimbledon finalist and Olympic winner within two months.
Not that he has much left to prove.
A 25th slam would push him past Australia’s Margaret Court, who won most of her 24 titles in the less competitive pre-Open era, to become the sole holder of that record.
Djokovic was asked whether he had “completed” tennis, like it was some sort of video game.
“Yes it’s complete because I completed all the achievements with this gold medal but no because I love this sport (and) don’t play only to win the tournaments,” he said.
“It was a long journey, many, many years of dreaming to be holding the gold medal so now it’s about happiness, joy and celebration.”
Alcaraz was disconsolate after losing, unable to hold back tears.
“I think I put more pressure on myself because I was playing for Spain, for the Spaniards,” he said.
“It was a different type of pressure … everyone in Spain wanted me to win the gold, and I wanted to win the gold as well.”
“I felt that I let the Spanish people down.”
Nadal, Alcaraz’s teammate in the Olympic doubles, was one of many to try to lift the Spaniard’s spirits.
“Carlos, even though I know that today is a difficult day, value a medal that is very important for the whole country and you’ll see, in time, that for you too,” he wrote on Instagram.
Alcaraz has won French hearts this fortnight by eschewing private accomodation used by other tennis stars to stay in the athletes village, where he has been mobbed by fellow competitors.
Completing the tennis program in Paris, Italian pair Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini won the women’s doubles 2-6 6-1 (10-7) in a match tiebreaker.
In doing so, Errani claimed her own doubles Golden Slam after winning all four majors with Roberta Vinci a decade ago.
Beaten pairing Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, competing under a neutral flag, became the first Russians to medal in Paris.
– with AAP