The Olympic tennis tournament tends to elevate actors who are often secondary to the circuit. In the Holy Trinity of this sport, only Rafael Nadal (Beijing 2008) has so far achieved gold, a pending subject for Novak Djokovic what Roger Federer will never be able to pass again. Andy Murray, a lifetime in the shadow of those three, he has two golds in exchange (London 2012 and Rio 2016). He also never achieved Pete Sampras lift that title, though yes Andre Agassi (Atlanta 1996).
And how can we forget the double gold of Nicolas Massua tennis player who never reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam and who was crowned double Olympic champion in singles and doubles in Athens 2004. Or the very strange podium at Tokyo 2020, with Zverev, Khachanov and CarrenoNo, the Olympics don’t seem to be made for tennis legends. Except in Paris.
Because this time, whatever the result, everything will be different. Jannik Sinner offside before the start due to tonsillitis, the final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic The match that takes place this Sunday at around 2:00 p.m. was the one that any tennis fan would have expected eight days ago, when it all began. That Saturday, while the Serbian was beating Matthew Ebden on the Philippe Chatrier, the Spaniard was doing the same a few dozen meters further west, on the Suzanne-Lenglen, with the Lebanese Hayi Habib.
24 grand slams versus four
And no, the reference to the courts is not gratuitous. It is an indication of the hierarchy of both in tennis. Djokovic, winner of 24 grand slamsby weight the best tennis player of all time, always has the centre court at his disposal. Alcaraz, winner of four at just 21 years olda record of precocity that was not even within the reach of Rafa Nadal, hopes to inherit those stripes tomorrow.
Carlos Alcaraz will play for Olympic gold this Sunday. / JUANJO MARTIN / EFE
Winning Olympic gold in Paris, once again as the youngest player in history to do so, would accelerate the seemingly unstoppable process of Carlos’ conversion to the tennis of today and tomorrow. Sinner has his turn to speak in this conversation and who knows if another tennis player will come along in the near future to ask for a reply. But the reality is that, today, looking only at the present, only Djokovic is at his level.
Logic and the most recent sporting results point to Alcaraz as the favourite, having lifted the Roland Garros and Wimbledon trophies with authority in recent months. The room for doubt, and it is far from being ignored, is Djokovic’s obsession with crowning his unrivalled record with Olympic gold. He has won all the Grand Slams and all the Masters 1000 on several occasions and also has a Davis Cup and seven Masters Cup finals. All he is missing is the Olympics.
Not a single set lost
“I’ve been waiting for this for almost 20 years. I have achieved many great things in this sport, but never an Olympic final, I am very excited,” he said on Friday after beating Musetti. And his performance in the Olympic tournament proves that he is ready for the challenge. Although Alcaraz is just as ready, if not more so, as he, like the Serbian, has not dropped a single set in Paris.
Novak Djokovic is Carlos Alcaraz’s last obstacle. / CAROLINE BLUMBERG / EFE
The historical gap between the two best tennis players of the moment is currently tied (3-3). On clay it is also tied, as Alcaraz took the victory in the semi-final of the Madrid Masters in 2022 and Djokovic won in that same round of the Roland Garros in 2023. This year, their only match against each other was the Wimbledon final, in which the Murcian overcame the legend: 6-2, 6-2 and 7-6.
“I imagined myself with the gold medal around my neck“I’ve thought about it, I’ve visualised it, it’s something that has encouraged me and given me energy to continue every day,” said Alcaraz after his victory in the semi-finals, who is suffering from the wear and tear of pursuing the failed dream of becoming an Olympic champion alongside Rafa Nadal. The singles is still alive, very much alive, in the best final that Olympic tennis has ever known. Gold awaits them.
