.PARIS-- For all of his Grand Slam champions and various other titles, for every one of his time at No. 1, Novak Djokovic actually, really desired an Olympic gold award for Serbia, the last significant success missing from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He finally acquired one at grow older 37, and no matter a little how long it took.Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3 ), 7-6 (2) in an enthralling and also evenly matched guys's ping pong songs last at the 2024 Games on Sunday." I put my heart, my soul, my physical body, my family-- my every thing-- vulnerable to win Olympic gold," Djokovic claimed. "Extraordinary battle. Astonishing fight." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedHis impressive profession actually featured a guys's- record 24 Grand Slam prizes and the most weeks invested atop in the ranks by any kind of guy or woman. It also presently included a Summer months Olympics award, coming from 2008, yet it was a bronze-- and he made it crystal clear that just wasn't sufficient.Until he surpassed bronze champion Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was actually 0-3 because round at the Video games. He shed to the possible gold winner each opportunity: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at London in 2012, and also Alexander Zverev in Tokyo 3 years ago.Before facing Musetti, Djokovic stated, "I felt like, 'OK, let's get through this set.' That is actually why today, just before the match, I carried out not feel as concerned as I will ordinarily feel, considering that I had actually protected a medal." In Paris, using a gray sleeve over the ideal leg that needed surgical operation for a torn lens 2 months ago, Djokovic encountered Nadal in the 2nd cycle and also eliminated his longtime rival in organized collections. Currently Djokovic is actually the oldest man to gain the songs gold in his sport because 1908-- as well as he stopped Spain's Alcaraz, who is 21, from ending up being the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic loses to his knees after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to gain his initial job gold medal. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the victory was his, with the help of one final forehand champion, Djokovic turned towards his team in the stands-- partaking front of his wife as well as their two little ones-- fell his racket as well as knelt on the clay. As emotional as ever before, he wept and also covered his face, then increased and nabbed a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After hugs in the stands, Djokovic swayed the flag." In the tough moments, he provided it an additional press," Alcaraz stated by means of his very own splits. "It hurts to shed similar to this." The ultimate, which lasted 2 hours, 50 mins even with being chosen in only 2 collections, was a rematch of the Wimbledon championship three weeks ago that Alcaraz gained to observe up his French Open headline in June.Alcaraz likewise beat Djokovic in in 2015's ultimate at the All of England Nightclub, yet Djokovic succeeded when they met in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the yearly clay-court tournament held at Roland Garros, the web site utilized for ping pong during the course of these Olympics.Sunday's contest was actually an appealing matchup, featuring among the most effective to ever perform it in Djokovic, as well as the very best currently in Alcaraz. Certainly, it could possibly have been actually discouraging for Djokovic to locate themself once again all over the internet from a more youthful, speedier variation of himself. Perhaps that is actually why Djokovic regularly looked up and gesticulated and also sputtered toward his visitor box.Still, he triumphed." In all honesty, when the last shot went through him, past him, that was actually the only moment I really thought I can win the suit," Djokovic said.It demanded long swaps filled with terrific ball-striking, ingenious decline tries-- Alcaraz's often tended to be even more productive, often thus really good Djokovic declined to also give pursuit-- and also remarkable sprinting, gliding, flexing protection at each ends. They offered so properly that not either got broken even once: Djokovic spared eight break points, Alcaraz six.Most remarkable, possibly, was actually exactly how easily each males participated in, in spite of the skill of the opposition and tension of the occasion.The only shame, possibly, for the enthusiasts-- and normally, Alcaraz-- was actually that the Olympics makes use of a best-of-three-set style, as opposed to the best-of-five at Grand Slam tournaments. Produce no mistake, this experience in between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic as well as No. 2-seeded Alcaraz deserved a major final.Those in the stands became part of the series, frequently bursting out into choruses of "No-le! No-le!" or "Car-los! Car-los!" that typically overlapped, generating a theatrical fugue. In the 2nd set, as Alcaraz tried to install a rebound, his fans started chanting, "Si, se puede!" (basically, "Yes, you can!") while shaking their red-and-yellow flags. Chair umpire Damien Dumusois occasionally told folks to stay quiet throughout the action.Yet the area likewise came to be as silent as a theatre between aspects, enough so that play was postponed quickly when the air thick with expectancy was actually punctured by a young kid's crying.Both guys participated in to the group. When Alcaraz raced to hit one decline go and also down payment it over the internet for a winner, he indulged the raucous reaction through pointing his right forefinger to his ear. When Djokovic laced a cross-court forehand champion on the go to top a 10-shot point to lead 3-2 in the second sudden death, he swung both upper arms cost to urge people who actually were actually standing up and also screaming.The initial set alone lasted more than 1 1/2 hours, packed with legendary chances and also legendary activities. One game lasted 18 points topped more than a dozen mesmerizing mins, including 5 rest opportunities for Alcaraz, before Djokovic managed to accommodate for a 5-4 lead. In the sudden death, Djokovic transcended in , as he thus usually is, taking the last four points.At 3-all, Alcaraz provided a physical body offer, however Djokovic slid just sufficient to his left to smack a cross-court forehand gain champion. After 2 mistakes by Alcaraz, Djokovic made a volley winner and relied on encounter his family members along with a first held high.Another collection, and also another tiebreaker, later on, and Djokovic possessed that medal that he really wanted, at lengthy last.When the Serbian national anthem ended up calling out at Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic reached for that gold and also delivered it to his lips for a caress.