DW
Novak Djokovic won first gold medal as he defeated Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) at Rollad Garros.
The 37-year-old clinched his final outstanding significant title during his remarkable career, as he won only Serbia’s second medal of the Games so far.
“Bringing the gold medal to , this is maybe the greatest sports achievement in my life,” Djokovic told Serbian national television after the victory.
Speaking to Eurosport, he added: “It was an incredible fight and I had to play my best tennis. It was fair that the two sets finished in tiebreaks. I put my heart, my soul, everything to win gold.”
A long wait for Olympic gold
After playing in his first Olympic tennis competition in 2008, when he claimed a bronze medal in Beijing, Djokovic had failed to make it past the quarterfinals in the three subsequent Olympics.
He faced a stern test against Spaniard Alcaraz on Sunday, who he had lost to in straight sets just three weeks prior in the Wimbledon final.
Without a title in 2024, Djokovic came out on top in a tightly-contested final that saw neither player’s serve broken all match.
The final lasted just under three hours, with remarkable shot-making displays from both players, but Djokovic ultimately held his nerve in both tie breaks.
Veteran Djokovic also became the oldest man to win singles gold in tennis since 1908.
