.PARIS-- For each one of his Conquest champions and various other titles, for every one of his opportunity at No. 1, Novak Djokovic really, actually yearned for an Olympic gold award for Serbia, the final significant achievement overlooking coming from his glittering ru00e9sumu00e9.He ultimately obtained one at age 37, and no matter a bit the length of time it took.Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3 ), 7-6 (2) in an appealing as well as uniformly matched guys's ping pong songs final at the 2024 Video games on Sunday." I place my center, my soul, my body, my family members-- my every thing-- on the line to succeed Olympic gold," Djokovic pointed out. "Awesome struggle. Fabulous match." Editor's Picks2 RelatedHis impressive job presently included a guys's- document 24 Conquest prizes and the absolute most weeks devoted atop in the ranks by any type of male or even lady. It also actually had a Summer season Olympics award, coming from 2008, yet it was actually a bronze-- and he made it crystal clear that simply had not been sufficient.Until he got past bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in the semifinals Friday, Djokovic was 0-3 during that cycle at the Games. He dropped to the resulting gold champion each opportunity: Rafael Nadal at Beijing in 2008, Andy Murray at Greater London in 2012, and Alexander Zverev in Tokyo three years ago.Before experiencing Musetti, Djokovic mentioned, "I felt like, 'OK, permit's get through this one.' That is actually why today, before the complement, I carried out not feel as tense as I will commonly experience, given that I had protected an award." In Paris, putting on a grey sleeve over the right knee that demanded surgical treatment for a torn meniscus 2 months back, Djokovic faced Nadal in the second cycle as well as removed his long time opponent in organized collections. Right now Djokovic is actually the oldest man to win the singles gold in his sporting activity considering that 1908-- as well as he prevented Spain's Alcaraz, that is actually 21, from ending up being the youngest.Serbia's Novak Djokovic falls to his knees after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to gain his very first profession gold award. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesWhen the success was his, due to one final forehand champion, Djokovic turned toward his team in the positions-- being in front of his partner as well as their pair of youngsters-- dropped his noise as well as knelt on the clay. As emotional as ever before, he cried and covered his face, at that point increased and got a red-white-and-blue Serbian flag.After caress in the positions, Djokovic swayed the flag." In the difficult seconds, he gave it an added push," Alcaraz said by means of his personal splits. "It hurts to shed such as this." The last, which lasted 2 hours, 50 minutes even with being decided in merely 2 collections, was actually a rematch of the Wimbledon title match 3 weeks ago that Alcaraz won to adhere to up his French Open headline in June.Alcaraz also defeated Djokovic in in 2014's final at the All England Club, however Djokovic won when they fulfilled in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open, the annual clay-court event kept at Roland Garros, the site utilized for ping pong during the course of these Olympics.Sunday's contest was an enthralling competition, including one of the most ideal to ever perform it in Djokovic, as well as the best right now in Alcaraz. Undoubtedly, it can possess been actually disheartening for Djokovic to find himself once more around the net from a younger, faster model of themself. Possibly that's why Djokovic frequently found and gestured as well as muttered towards his attendee box.Still, he came out on top." Honestly, when the swan song underwent him, past him, that was the only minute I really assumed I can easily win the suit," Djokovic said.It called for long substitutions filled with fantastic ball-striking, ingenious reduce gos-- Alcaraz's tended to become extra successful, at times so excellent Djokovic dropped to even give pursuit-- and also enormous sprinting, sliding, flexing defense at both ends. They provided so properly that neither obtained broken even when: Djokovic conserved eight rest points, Alcaraz six.Most outstanding, maybe, was actually exactly how precisely both males played, despite the ability of the hostility as well as stress of the occasion.The only embarassment, perhaps, for the supporters-- and also naturally, Alcaraz-- was that the Olympics utilizes a best-of-three-set format, rather than the best-of-five at Conquest events. Produce no mistake, this experience between the No. 1-seeded Djokovic and No. 2-seeded Alcaraz was worthy of a significant final.Those in the positions became part of the program, repeatedly bursting out in to carolers of "No-le! No-le!" or "Car-los! Car-los!" that frequently overlapped, creating a theatrical fugue. In the second collection, as Alcaraz attempted to install a comeback, his advocates started chanting, "Si, se puede!" (practically, "Yes, you can!") while drinking their red-and-yellow banners. Chair peacemaker Damien Dumusois from time to time reminded people to stay noiseless during the action.Yet the area additionally ended up being as quiet as a movie theater in between points, sufficient to ensure play was postponed for a while when the sky thick with anticipation was actually punctured by a young child's crying.Both males participated in to the crowd. When Alcaraz raced to get to one decline go and also down payment it over the web for a champion, he basked in the rowdy response by pointing his correct forefinger to his ear. When Djokovic tied a cross-court forehand victor on the run to cover a 10-shot indicate lead 3-2 in the 2nd sudden death, he swayed both upper arms cost to promote folks that already were actually standing and also screaming.The 1st set alone lasted more than 1 1/2 hrs, full of epic gos and also legendary games. One activity lasted 18 points spread over more than a loads magical moments, featuring five rest odds for Alcaraz, prior to Djokovic took care of to hold for a 5-4 lead. In the sudden death, Djokovic transcended in do or die time, as he thus often is, taking the last four points.At 3-all, Alcaraz supplied a physical body provide, however Djokovic moved only enough to his left to smack a cross-court forehand gain champion. After two blunders by Alcaraz, Djokovic made a volley victor and also relied on experience his family with a first held high.Another set, and also one more tiebreaker, eventually, and also Djokovic possessed that medal that he preferred, at lengthy last.When the Serbian nationwide anthem completed calling out at Court of law Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic reached for that gold and delivered it to his lips for a caress.