Novak Djokovic has completed tennis to win a gold medal after a phenomenal near-three hour battle with his young rival Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic was visibly emotional after claiming a prize he had been seeking since he took bronze in the Olympic singles event of 2008. After clinching victory with a forehand winner, he knelt down on the court for an extended moment, and then pulled a Serbian flag out of his bag, roared and waved it to his fans.
“I thought that the 2012 Opening Ceremony in London, carrying the flag for my country, is the best feeling that an athlete could have,” said Djokovic after his medal ceremony. “Until today. This supersedes everything that I imagined.
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“Representing my country has always been the greatest priority and honour for me – whether it’s the Olympic Games or anywhere I can carry proudly the Serbian flag is something that really drives me and motivates me like nothing else.
“When I take everything into consideration, this is probably the biggest sporting success I’ve had in my career. At this moment in time, in my career, in my life, it stands out as the highest of the highest.”
Alcaraz was emotional as well, breaking down in tears as he gave a post-match interview at the side of the court. Seldom has a man played as well in defeat as Alcaraz did here, striking more than 40 clean winners in just two sets. But Alcaraz is 21 and his time will come again.
“I was a little bit disappointed with not playing my best tennis in some situations,” said Alcaraz afterwards. “But I have to see everything in a different way, different perspective. I think I had a really great tournament.
“I got emotional at the end because I couldn’t make all the Spanish people proud. Thinking about that moment, it was really close at the end of the match, I couldn’t think clearly. [But] right now I’m thinking I made them proud.”
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