Novak Djokovic Finally Wins the Tennis Title He’s Always Wanted

Novak Djokovic has won everything there is to win in tennis.

He has been crowned champion in each of the sport’s four major tournaments multiple times, collecting a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles. He has been ranked No. 1 in the world for 428 weeks, the most ever. The only prized achievement missing on the Serbian’s resume was an Olympic gold medal.

On Sunday, the 37-year-old crossed off that feat from his to-do list.

The top-seeded Djokovic defeated No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) to win the Paris Olympics men’s singles final on the red clay of Roland Garros.

With four championship points at his disposal, Djokovic ended the two-hour, 50-minute classic by blasting a forehand winner past a helpless Alcaraz. Djokovic immediately put his head in his hands in disbelief.

After shaking Alcaraz’s hand, Djokovic fell to the ground crying tears of joy and shaking from all of the emotions he was feeling. He continued to sob into a towel while sitting in his chair and then climbed into the stands to share the moment with his family.

Djokovic won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games and was ousted in the semifinals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in singles and doubles. The Paris Games figured to be his last chance to go for gold.

“I’m overwhelmed with everything I’m feeling right now,” Djokovic told NBC afterward.

“This is arguably the biggest success I’ve ever had,” he added.

Djokovic’s victory halted Alcaraz’s incredible run of tournament wins that began with the 21-year-old’s first French Open championship and continued with a second-straight Wimbledon title. The straight-sets triumph over Djokovic at the All England Club seemed to signal a passing of the torch with Alcaraz cementing his place at the top of the men’s game.

However, it was the younger Alcaraz who crumbled under the weight of Sunday’s gold medal final. He committed 33 unforced errors and failed to win a game against Djokovic’s serve, going 0-for-8 on break-point chances.

“It’s painful that I lost this match,” Alcaraz told NBC.

Djokovic became just the fifth player to win all four grand slams and an Olympic singles gold, joining Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.

What is left for Djokovic? At the end of the month, he will play in the U.S. Open in New York. His next major tournament win would give him 25 to break the current tie with Margaret Court and make him the greatest Grand Slam champion ever.