.PARIS-- For each of his Conquest champions as well as various other labels, for every one of his time at No. 1, Novak Djokovic really, truly yearned for an Olympic gold award for Serbia, the last considerable achievement missing out on from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He ultimately got one at grow older 37, and it does not matter a little bit how much time it took.Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3 ), 7-6 (2) in an appealing and also equally matched guys's ping pong single people final at the 2024 Gamings on Sunday." I put my heart, my soul, my body system, my family-- my every thing-- on the line to win Olympic gold," Djokovic said. "Extraordinary war. Amazing match." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedHis exceptional profession already featured a males's- report 24 Conquest prizes and one of the most full weeks devoted atop in the positions by any sort of guy or woman. It also presently included a Summer season Olympics award, coming from 2008, but it was a bronze-- and he produced it clear that just wasn't sufficient.Until he surpassed bronze champion Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was actually 0-3 during that round at the Games. He shed to the resulting gold winner each time: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at Greater London in 2012, and also Alexander Zverev in Tokyo 3 years ago.Before facing Musetti, Djokovic said, "I was like, 'OK, allow's survive this.' That is actually why today, prior to the suit, I carried out not believe as worried as I will commonly feel, since I had actually protected a medal." In Paris, putting on a grey sleeve over the appropriate knee that required surgical treatment for a torn crescent 2 months earlier, Djokovic experienced Nadal in the second round as well as removed his long time opponent in organized sets. Right now Djokovic is actually the oldest male to gain the songs gold in his sport given that 1908-- as well as he protected against Spain's Alcaraz, who is 21, from ending up being the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic goes down to his knees after hammering Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to win his first occupation gold medal. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the victory was his, thanks to one final forehand winner, Djokovic switched toward his crew in the stands-- being in front of his wife and also their two little ones-- fell his racket and also knelt on the clay-based. As mental as ever before, he burst into tears and covered his face, at that point increased and also got a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After hugs in the positions, Djokovic swung the flag." In the hard moments, he provided it an added press," Alcaraz stated with his personal tears. "It injures to lose enjoy this." The final, which lasted 2 hrs, fifty minutes even with being decided in simply pair of collections, was actually a rematch of the Wimbledon championship three weeks ago that Alcaraz won to follow up his French Open label in June.Alcaraz likewise defeated Djokovic in in 2015's final at the All of England Club, yet Djokovic won when they met in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the yearly clay-court tournament secured at Roland Garros, the internet site used for ping pong throughout these Olympics.Sunday's competition was actually an appealing competition, featuring one of the most effective to ever do it in Djokovic, and also the most ideal presently in Alcaraz. Indeed, it could have been actually disheartening for Djokovic to locate himself once more throughout the internet from a younger, faster model of himself. Maybe that is actually why Djokovic often found and gestured and whispered toward his guest box.Still, he prevailed." Honestly, when the last shot experienced him, past him, that was the only minute I really believed I can easily succeed the suit," Djokovic said.It called for long exchanges loaded with exceptional ball-striking, quick decline gos-- Alcaraz's tended to be much more successful, sometimes therefore good Djokovic declined to also provide chase-- and also incredible sprinting, moving, stretching protection at each ends. They offered thus properly that not either acquired recovered cost when: Djokovic spared 8 break factors, Alcaraz six.Most amazing, possibly, was exactly how safely both men participated in, in spite of the skill of the hostility as well as pressure of the occasion.The simply pity, maybe, for the enthusiasts-- as well as typically, Alcaraz-- was that the Olympics makes use of a best-of-three-set style, as opposed to the best-of-five at Conquest competitions. Create indisputable, this encounter between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic and also No. 2-seeded Alcaraz deserved a major final.Those in the positions became part of the program, frequently breaking out right into choruses of "No-le! No-le!" or "Car-los! Car-los!" that often overlapped, creating a theatrical fugue. In the 2nd collection, as Alcaraz sought to install a revival, his proponents started chanting, "Si, se puede!" (essentially, "Yes, you can!") while trembling their red-and-yellow banners. Chair peacemaker Damien Dumusois sometimes advised people to stay silent during the course of the action.Yet the location likewise ended up being as peaceful as a movie theater in between aspects, enough to ensure that play was postponed quickly when the sky close anticipation was actually punctured by a young kid's crying.Both guys participated in to the group. When Alcaraz raced to arrive at one drop go and also down payment it over the internet for a champion, he indulged the rowdy response through directing his right index finger to his ear. When Djokovic entwined a cross-court forehand winner on the go to cover a 10-shot indicate lead 3-2 in the second sudden death, he waved both upper arms cost to motivate folks who currently were actually standing as well as screaming.The initial set alone lasted much more than 1 1/2 hrs, packed with legendary chances and also legendary video games. One game lasted 18 factors spread over greater than a number of magical mins, consisting of 5 rest possibilities for Alcaraz, before Djokovic managed to accommodate for a 5-4 lead. In the sudden death, Djokovic transcended in do or die time, as he so usually is actually, taking the final four points.At 3-all, Alcaraz delivered a physical body provide, yet Djokovic moved only sufficient to his left to smack a cross-court forehand yield champion. After two mistakes by Alcaraz, Djokovic created a battery winner and looked to encounter his family members with a first conducted high.Another set, and another sudden death, later on, as well as Djokovic had that medal that he desired, at long last.When the Serbian national anthem ended up sounding out at Court of law Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic grabbed that gold and also delivered it to his lips for a kiss.