The duel between Serbian Novak Djokovic and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz for the Paris 2024 gold medal on Sunday pits the oldest finalist in the history of the competition against the youngest to reach the final of the Olympic Games.
At 37 years and 74 days, Djokovic becomes the oldest player to reach a singles final since tennis returned to the Olympic Games in Seoul 1988. Only two players have reached an Olympic singles final aged 30 or older since 1988: London 2012 women’s singles gold medallist Serena Williams (30 years, 314 days) and London 2012 men’s singles silver medallist Federer (30 years, 363 days).
On the other side, Carlos Alcaraz, who after beating the Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime, has become the youngest person to compete in an Olympic final, at 21 years and 94 days. He hopes to become the youngest champion and surpass the record set by the American Vincent Richards one hundred years ago, in Paris 1924.
The youngest finalist to ever compete in a final at the Games (21 years and 91 days), if he wins he will become the youngest champion in history to win gold, surpassing the American Vincent Richards 100 years ago, at 21 years and 123 days.
Since tennis returned to the Olympic programme in Seoul 1988, the youngest was the Swiss Marc Rosset, who managed to reach the top of the podium in Barcelona 1992, after beating Jordi Arrese, aged 21 years and 275 days.
Djokovic happy with his achievement
Djokovic dropped to the ground to celebrate his victory over Italian Lorenzo Musetti, which put him, for the first time in his career, in the final of the Olympic Games, which he will play on Sunday against Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
“I have been waiting for this for almost 20 years. I have played four Olympic Games, this is my fifth and I have never made it past the semi-finals. I lost three semi-finals in my first four Olympic Games,” said the Balkan native after the victory.
Djokovic won in two sets. He has not lost a single set in the entire tournament. He has broken through the semi-final barrier. “I managed to overcome this big obstacle. I have to be honest and say that I was thinking about all the semi-finals I lost,” he said.
The top seed and second-ranked player in the ATP rankings did not want to think beyond the semi-final match, he said. “I was just focused on the match. I played against an opponent who is in great form and who started very strongly. I was just focused on what I had to do,” he explained.
Djokovic showed no signs of physical weakness, even though the day before, in the quarter-final match against Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, he had to ask twice for the presence of the physiotherapist on the court to assess the condition of his right knee, which was operated on two months ago.
In the second set his level dropped. Musetti broke his serve for the first time, but Djokovic prevented him from getting away on the scoreboard, as Tsitsipas did.
“I started the second set very, very nervous. Before the match, during the match, I was very, very nervous. But I am very happy to have overcome this obstacle and to secure a medal for my country,” insisted Djokovic, who will face Alcaraz again, to whom he lost weeks ago in the Wimbledon final.
“I have achieved a lot of great things in this sport, but never an Olympic final, so I am very excited,” Djokovic said. “I hope I have brought joy to the Serbian fans and people around the world, and also to Serbia. Of course I will think about Alcaraz. But that is on Sunday. Now there is a day off and I will need it.”
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