PARIS: Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday to claim a maiden Olympic title and become just the fifth player to complete a career Golden Slam. The 37-year-old Serb, competing in his fifth Games, came through 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/2) in an enthralling final at Roland Garros to add Olympic gold to his 24 Grand Slam triumphs.

Victory allowed him to join Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Steffi Graf and the watching Serena Williams as the only players to win all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic singles gold. He also became the oldest singles champion since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988 and shattered Alcaraz’s bid to add gold to the French Open and Wimbledon titles he has already pocketed this summer.

An emotional Djokovic celebrated by holding aloft the Serbian flag on court before clambering into the players’ box to embrace his wife and children. “We almost played three hours, the final shot was the only moment when I was sure I could win the match,” said Djokovic, who had lost heavily to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final last month.

‘Finally I did it’

“I put my body, my family on the line to win gold and finally I did it.” Alcaraz was distraught and wept as he attempted to conduct a TV interview. “Three hours, a big battle with tough moments,” said the 21-year-old after a final in which neither player dropped serve. “It’s very painful to lose.”

Djokovic carved out a break point in the second game of the opener and three more in the fourth, all saved by the Spaniard. Then it was the Serb’s turn to demonstrate his famed powers of resilience, fighting off three break points in the fifth game and another five in a marathon ninth game.

In a rollercoaster duel, Alcaraz saved a set point in the 12th game but his veteran opponent dominated the tiebreak to claim the opener after a breathless 93 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier. There was no let-up in the second set, scintillating shot-making alongside rousing defence with Alcaraz fighting off the final’s 14th break point in the third game.

Again the set was decided by a tie-break and it was Djokovic with history on the line again sweeping through to take victory after two hours and 50 minutes. Lorenzo Musetti defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in three sets on Saturday to claim the bronze medal, giving Italy its first men’s tennis medal in 100 years. Later Sunday, Russian athletes can claim their first gold of the Games when Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider face the Italian team of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in the women’s doubles.

Russian competitors are taking part in the Olympics as neutrals following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022. If Andreeva and Shnaider win gold, their achievement will not be recognised in the medals table while both the Russian flag and national anthem will be banned from the podium ceremony.

Cristina Bucsa and Sara Sorribes Tormo, the Spanish eighth seeds, defeated the Czech pair of Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-2 in the bronze medal match. — AFP