Djokovic beats Alcaraz in Olympic final live updates (2024)

Novak Djokovic has won his first Olympic gold medal by beating Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s tennis singles final.

Djokovic beat Alcaraz 7-6(3), 7-6(2) at Roland Garros.

The win sees Djokovic become just the fifth player in the history of tennis to complete the ‘Golden Slam’ of winning all four Grand Slam titles plus a gold medal. He joins Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams in accomplishing the feat.

Based on the seedings, there are no surprises to see Djokovic and Alcaraz as the top two in the men's singles.

And a word for Musetti who has capped a brilliant summer with a bronze medal.

1. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
2. Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
3. Lorenzo Musetti (Italy)

The podium is out and our three medalists are ready to step aboard.

Italy's Lorenzo Musetti — who beat Felix Auger-Aliassime yesterday — receives his bronze medal before Carlos Alcaraz soaks up the applause of the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd as the silver medal is placed around his neck.

And, last but not least, Novak Djokovic receives the crowing glory of his illustrious tennis career — the final piece of silverware he needed to complete the career golden slam.

The 37-year-old is grinning from ear to ear and gives the gold medal a kiss!

Here comes the Serbian national anthem.

In winning today's match, Djokovic has won the second medal of Paris 2024 for Serbia, both of them gold after Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec won as a pair in the shooting.

"Most of all, it's my country. The pride to play for Serbia," he told Eurosport. "I know Carlos and Rafa (Nadal) love to play for Spain, Andy (Murray) loves to play for Britain, Roger (Federer) for Switzerland, you saw the reaction of all these guys when they win. It's something special.

"This is my fifth Olympic Games. Three out of four Olympic Games I played semifinals and never managed to overcome that hurdle for some reason. When I entered the court for the semifinal against (Lorenzo) Musetti, I was thinking about it.

"That's why today, before the match, I did not feel as nervous as I would normally feel because I secured a medal. But, of course, I was going to go for gold."

Sport is a game of sacrifice across every Olympic discipline, but there will not be many athletes who have sacrificed more than Djokovic to win gold at these Games.

"We both had our chances to break but, when it mattered, we both came up with big serves and big plays," he told Eurosport.

"I don't know what to say, I'm still in shock. I put my heart, my soul, my body, my family, my everything on the line to win Olympic gold.

"At age 37, I finally did it."

The first words from Djokovic after winning Olympic gold for the first time.

"We almost played three hours for two sets. (It was an) incredible battle, incredible fight," he told Eurosport. "When the last shot went past him, that was the only moment I thought I can win the match. I believed that I could win but to actually win it.

"(Alcaraz) keeps on coming back, he keeps on asking me to play my best tennis. It was probably fair to finish both sets with a tiebreak."

Djokovic’s emotions are pouring out in a way that is different even from 24 Grand Slam singles titles, and the more joyful he gets, the more overcome we see Alcaraz getting too, about how close he was.

Djokovic, after sobbing into a towel on his bench, climbed into the stands and made his way with a zigzagging path toward his family for a tight embrace. He’s back down on the court to get his gold.

The crowd are on their feet on Court Philippe Chatrier and there is so much respect from them for the silver medalist, Carlos Alcaraz.

As he prepared to speak to Eurosport, the 21-year-old could not stop the flow of tears.

He has already won so much in tennis, and will continue to do so, but he has seen Djokovic wait until his 38th year to get his hands on a gold medal.

Losing a Grand Slam final must be hard, but losing the Olympic gold medal match must be horrendous, particularly to lose it without dropping a service game.

Djokovic has made no secret of his desire to win Olympic gold, how much his underperformance at the Games has haunted his career.

And he cannot stem the flow of tears having seen off Alcaraz in the tiebreak.

The young Spaniard will come again, but he looks gutted as he sits forward in his chair — he didn't have his serve broken once in the match but he has lost in straight sets.

A cruel defeat for Alcaraz, but a supreme performance from Djokovic.

It is no exaggeration to say that is one of the great performances of the Serbian's glittering career.

Djokovic 7-6(3) 7-6(2) Alcaraz

The waiting is over for Novak Djokovic who has won the Olympic gold medal for the first time in his career!

And, in doing so, he has become the fifth man in history to complete the career golden slam.

There is, quite simply, nothing left for Djokovic to achieve in this game!

Djokovic 7-6(3) 6-6 (*4-2) Alcaraz

The perfect start to the tiebreak for Djokovic who stole control of it with a dazzling winner behind his forehand, leading Alcaraz into a frustrated response.

And stellar defence from the 24-time Grand Slam champion saw him somehow save his first service point behind a disturbed second serve. But a forehand from the baseline hit long cancelled out the mini break to bring Alcaraz back into the tiebreak.

A wide kick serve from the Spaniard allowed him to hammer a forehand winner to level at 2-2, but some magic from Djokovic saw him regain the lead! His best shot of the match, a blistering cross-court forehand winner that left Alcaraz with no chance of getting near it.

And, the Serbian is 4-2 up at the change of ends after a brilliant forehand left him with a simple overhead. He is just three points away from completing the golden slam...

Djokovic 7-6(3) 6-6* Alcaraz

A lovely moment to start the 12th game of the second set as Alcaraz gave Djokovic his first serve back despite it being ruled out after clipping the net — the karma did not repay itself as the Spaniard railed his return for the second serve into the net.

And the serve for the second point of the game was too good, allowing the Serbian to approach the net and finish with a volley. As was the serve for the third point, with Djokovic hammering another winner off his forehand wing to go to 40-0.

Rinse and repeat! Same again on that point as Alcaraz could only find the net with his return.

We're headed to another tiebreak after another set without a single break of serve — extraordinary!

Djokovic 7-6(3) *5-6 Alcaraz

Alcaraz, clearly getting the 'no breaks allowed' memo, left Djokovic with little chance of a first break thanks to two excellent first serves to go to 30-0.

And his third serve of the game was sent long by Djokovic who then finished the game with a wayward backhand.

A rare love hold for the Spaniard and one that guarantees a second-set tiebreak at worst.

Djokovic 7-6(3) 5-5* Alcaraz

Alcaraz failed to clear the net with his first return of the game before Djokovic failed a drop shot attempt, hitting the top of the net with the Spaniard in hot pursuit.

Alcaraz then tried to outfox Djokovic with a drop shot of his own but it was too easily telegraphed and the response was good enough to force him wide. And the Serbian's first serve was too hot to handle to make it 40-15.

Alcaraz went again and drilled a brilliant backhand winner down the line to give himself hope of the match's first break, but Djokovic closed out the game behind another top-drawer first serve.

Djokovic 7-6(3) *4-5 Alcaraz

Maybe the point of the match to start the ninth game of the set as Alcaraz lured Djokovic into yet another absorbing game of cat and mouse before lifting the ball over his head and finishing the point easily at the net.

The Serbian, presumably still recovering from that first point, then failed to return either of the next two first serves to give his opponent a rare look at a love hold. But no, he couldn't manage it with a backhand slice hitting the net.

And then Djokovic stepped into the game, forcing Alcaraz to both corners on more than one occasion for 40-30 and then picking him off at the net after a superb drop shot for deuce.

The Spaniard then pulled out an excellent drop shot of his own, leaving his 37-year-old opponent looking at the floor in disbelief. And yet another service hold was complete with a very easy overhead at the net after some more brutal baseline hitting.

Djokovic 7-6(3) 4-4* Alcaraz

Djokovic has been brilliant behind his serve in this second set, but that wasn't as comfortable for him.

Alcaraz whacked a forehand into the net to set him on his way in the eighth game, but the net came to the Spaniard's rescue in the second point. Djokovic had set him up perfectly with two brutal forehands, but his third clattered the tape and landed long.

No problem, though, as his first serve on point three was un-returnable and made it 30-15. That became 30-30 with the power in the point coming from the racket of Alcaraz who came to the net to hammer a winner.

Strong serving and a big error from Alcaraz — which led to visible frustration — put Djokovic in a position to win the game and he did that with another brutal first serve down the T that the Spaniard could only steer wide.

Djokovic 7-6(3) *3-4 Alcaraz

A rare miss at the net from Djokovic, who had the answers to all of Alcaraz's questions, saw him fail to seize control of the game after Alcaraz missed to give him a 0-15 lead.

And the youngster punished him for it with a routine forehand winner at the net and a great first serve that didn't make it back into his side of the court. He saw out the game with another well-directed serve that Djokovic attempted to hammer down the line, but missed.

This second set is ticking along much quicker than that monster first set.

Djokovic 7-6(3) 3-3* Alcaraz

The foot speed of Alcaraz is absolutely unbelievable! After some more sublime baseline defence, he was dragged to the net by Djokovic whose drop shot was a decent one but not good enough to beat the speedy Spaniard.

But he could not follow that up as two big Djokovic serves saw him steal the lead in the sixth game. And he hammered that home with an ace down the T that brought with it a puff of chalk — perfection.

And another game on the scoreboard for Djokovic after some more ridiculous defence and a very poor miss at the net from Alcaraz.

The intensity of this match certainly seems to be getting to the youthful Spaniard more than his wily old Serbian counterpart.

Djokovic 7-6(3) *2-3 Alcaraz

Despite being 16 years the senior in this match-up, Djokovic certainly looks the fresher of the two players at this stage of the contest.

Another loose Alcaraz groundstroke handed him an early lead in the fifth game, but the Serbian gave it back with a loose shot of his own. And that soon became 15-30 behind some more top shot-making.

Djokovic then must have thought he was getting a look at break points but Alcaraz's staggering foot speed got him out of trouble after drawing his opponent to the net with a drop shot. And the Spaniard had the crowd on their feet again seconds later at 40-30 with a ripper of a forehand winner that left old man Djokovic rooted to the spot.

Deuce came and went but another gutsy hold for Alcaraz in this second set as he sealed it behind two very strong first serves.

Djokovic 7-6(3) 2-2* Alcaraz

A wrong-footer of a forehand from in to out from Djokovic got him rolling in his second service game of the second set before a trade of heavy baseline hitting led to Alcaraz looping a forehand wide to the right.

A great wide serve brought an easy forehand winner for the 24-time Grand Slam winner and he closed out another convincing hold with a serve that Alcaraz smashed into the net.