PARIS — Emotional and unable to carry again tears, Carlos Alcaraz wanted a second to compose himself after dropping to Novak Djokovic within the males’s tennis singles last on the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
There could be no youngest-ever champion and no repeating Rafael Nadal’s feat of profitable a gold medal for Spain in his first try in singles.
Alcaraz settled for silver after a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) loss to Djokovic at Court docket Philippe Chatrier, saying the stress of taking part in for his nation received to him.
“I feel I put extra stress on myself as a result of I used to be taking part in for Spain, for the Spaniards,” Alcaraz stated. “I felt that I let the Spanish folks down by not profitable the gold.”
The 21-year-old Alcaraz stated he had not felt that sort of stress within the 4 Grand Slam finals that he performed — and received — to date in his profession.
“It was a unique sort of stress,” Alcaraz stated. “Everybody in Spain wished me to win the gold, and I wished to win the gold as nicely.”
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He stated the additional stress price him particularly within the decisive moments of the sport.
“In these tough moments I normally elevate my degree, however I wasn’t ready to try this in the present day,” Alcaraz stated. “In all probability I felt the stress in these conditions. You play 4 Grand Slams yearly, the Olympics is just as soon as each 4 years.”
He stated there was nonetheless purpose for him to be proud after “understanding that I gave every little thing.”
“Clearly this week, this match has been actually particular for me,” Alcaraz stated. “I will take it for the remainder of my life, for the remainder of my profession, for positive. Enjoying with Rafa, getting my first Olympics medal — hopefully not the final one — it has been a particular one.”
He arrived in Paris amid the hype of taking part in the doubles match alongside his childhood idol Nadal, who received the singles gold in his Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008.
Alcaraz and Nadal misplaced 6-2, 6-4 to the fourth-seeded American duo of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram in final week’s quarterfinals.
The sport in opposition to Djokovic was a rematch of the previous two Wimbledon finals, each received by Alcaraz, together with final month.
“Within the shut moments, within the tough conditions, within the tiebreakers, he performed a formidable sport,” Alcaraz stated of Djokovic. “He was hungry for the gold medal. He was going to go for it.”
