Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz
| Photograph Credit score: AFP
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 closing on the Paris Olympics on August 4.
There can 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 bought 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,” he mentioned. “I felt that I let the Spanish individuals down by not profitable the gold.”
The 21-year-old Alcaraz mentioned he had not felt that sort of stress within the 4 Grand Slam finals that he performed — and received — thus far in his profession.
“It was a distinct sort of stress,” he mentioned. “Everybody in Spain needed me to win the gold, and I needed to win the gold as nicely.”
Alcaraz mentioned the additional stress price him particularly within the decisive moments of the sport.
“In these tough moments I normally increase my degree, however I wasn’t ready to do this at present,” he mentioned. “Most likely I felt the stress in these conditions. You play 4 Grand Slams yearly, the Olympics is just as soon as each 4 years.”
Alcaraz mentioned there was nonetheless motive for him to be proud after “understanding that I gave all the things.”
“Clearly this week, this match has been actually particular for me,” he mentioned. “I’m going to take it for the remainder of my life, for the remainder of my profession, for certain. Enjoying with Rafa, getting my first Olympics medal — hopefully not the final one — it has been a particular one.”
Alcaraz 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 towards 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 powerful sport,” Alcaraz mentioned of Djokovic. “He was hungry for the gold medal. He was going to go for it.”
