Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters/Getty Photographs
Novak Djokovic insists Carlos Alcaraz would be the “favorite” for Olympic gold on Augut 4 within the newest instalment of tennis’s generational energy seize.
At 37, Djokovic can be the oldest Olympic tennis singles champion for the reason that sport returned to the Video games at Seoul in 1988.
At 21, Alcaraz can be the youngest of all time.
A win for the Serb can be his first gold medal on the fifth try and characterize a major improve on the bronze he gained at Beijing in 2008.
Victory would additionally permit Djokovic to turn into solely the fifth participant to finish the Golden Slam of all 4 majors plus an Olympic title.
Solely Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf could make related boasts.
Nonetheless, Djokovic goes into August 4 high-profile conflict nonetheless bruised by being swept off courtroom by Alcaraz in a one-sided Wimbledon closing simply three weeks in the past.
“I don’t contemplate myself a favorite as a result of Alcaraz has confirmed he’s the very best participant on the earth,” stated Djokovic pointing to the Spaniard’s uncommon achievement of profitable the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back.
“He gained Roland Garros, he gained Wimbledon and beat me within the closing fairly comfortably there.”
Regardless of his warning, Djokovic is nothing if not fired up for his seventh profession conflict in opposition to the Spanish crowd-pleaser.
In his stormy semi-final win over Lorenzo Musetti, he was warned for swearing and screamed at his assist workforce watching nervously on Court docket Philippe Chatrier.
He’s acutely conscious that Paris 2024 is his final probability to lastly seize an elusive gold.
“I used to be fascinated by all of the semi-finals that I misplaced within the Olympic Video games and that’s why I used to be very tense on the courtroom. I used to be very nervous, numerous feelings.”
Djokovic and Alcaraz have made the ultimate with out dropping a set whereas the Serb appeared to don’t have any hostile response to aggravating his proper knee harm throughout a last-eight win in opposition to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
‘Make Spain proud’
He additionally believes he’s a “totally different participant” to the one overwhelmed so badly at Wimbledon.
“In the best way I transfer, the best way I’m putting the ball,” defined Djokovic, who has gained three of his 24 Grand Slam titles in Paris.
“To not take something away from him profitable the Wimbledon closing, he was dominating and deservedly a winner, however I really feel extra assured about myself and my possibilities within the closing.”
The 2 males have met twice on clay with Alcaraz on high of their first assembly in Madrid in 2022 whereas Djokovic prevailed within the French Open semi-finals final 12 months.
Alcaraz suffered physique cramps in that loss, an element he attributed to the stress of going through Djokovic.
Alcaraz is the fourth Spanish man to achieve the Olympic males’s closing after Jordi Arrese at Barcelona in 1992, Sergi Bruguera in Atlanta 4 years later and Nadal who gained gold at Beijing in 2008.
“I’ve imagined (profitable gold),” admitted Alcaraz. “I’ve thought of it and visualised it.
“It’s one thing that enhances my temper, that provides me power to maintain going ahead, continue learning, and provides all my greatest day by day.”
Victory on Sunday would permit Alcaraz to affix Graf and Nadal as the one gamers to win the French Open, Wimbledon and Olympic gold in the identical 12 months.
“We’re one step nearer. I might love so as to add my identify subsequent to Steffi’s and Rafa’s, two legends from sport typically.
“However I’ll attempt not to think about each stat, the issues I might obtain … I’ll attempt to keep away from all that, and preserve bettering, and provides my greatest, and make Spanish individuals proud.”
