Carlos Alcaraz was on the brink of achieving his dream of winning an Olympic gold medal for Spain, but Novak Djokovic dashed his hopes in a gripping final.
The emotional defeat left Alcaraz visibly distraught. The young Spaniard had been in top form throughout the tournament, showcasing his prowess in a dominant semifinal win against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Alcaraz had extra motivation with his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, present for the final after staying home for previous matches. The 21-year-old also hoped to continue his tradition of commemorative tattoos for each major title, having marked his US Open, Wimbledon, and French Open victories with unique ink.
Despite being the favorite for gold, especially after beating Djokovic in recent major finals, Alcaraz couldn’t overcome the Serbian’s exceptional performance. Djokovic had warned he would be a different player from their Wimbledon encounter, and he was right.
The first set was fiercely contested, with Djokovic saving six break points in one service game and ultimately winning the tiebreak 7-3. The second set mirrored the first, with no breaks of serve, leading to another tiebreak. Uncharacteristic errors from Alcaraz in the tiebreak handed Djokovic a 7-6, 7-6 victory and the gold medal.
Immediately after the match, Alcaraz faced an interview with compatriot and former French Open runner-up Alex Corretja. Struggling to contain his emotions, Alcaraz broke down in tears, the weight of the missed opportunity overwhelming him. Corretja handled the situation with grace, consoling Alcaraz and allowing him time to compose himself.
To his credit, Alcaraz returned to the interview with a smile, acknowledging the great battle and giving Djokovic credit for his performance. His emotional honesty and sportsmanship in the face of defeat endeared him further to tennis fans around the world.
