Paris 2024 | Novak Djokovic takes career golden slam in sensational final against Carlos Alcaraz

The tennis world was given its wish with a dream final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. The level was high from the start. Alcaraz and Djokovic forced each other to show their best tennis. It resulted in a stream of fantastic rallies and points.

Serbian tennis king Djokovic played for a career golden slam, which puts him in the same league as Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.

Nole joins the career golden slam list in a grandiose way. Djokovic got Alcaraz involved in the rallies, which he managed to control with impressive spread.

Paris 2024 | Novak Djokovic takes home gold medal – career golden slam complete

first set delivers immediately

From the first set, Carlos Alcaraz and especially Novak Djokovic were on edge. The Spaniard sometimes had great points, but seemed to hit a number of balls outside or over the line due to tension. Alcaraz’s first serve did not help him.

Djokovic was often able to turn the rallies in Alcaraz’s games to the Serb’s advantage. Alcaraz often had to work hard to keep his games. In Alcaraz’s first service game this was immediately the case.

If Djokovic can grow in the rallies, and even turn it to his advantage, his spread is impressive. Alcaraz is also forced to do a lot of running, who nevertheless had some great drop shots.

Paris 2024 | Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz show their class early in tennis final

Tension among both gentlemen

Despite the pressure and tension for both gentlemen, there were also moments of appreciation. For example at 6-5, a critical point in the match. Alcaraz played a point fantastically, for which Djokovic had to give a round of applause on his racket.

But even though Alcaraz sometimes hit great points, Djokovic was the most dogged and his ability to dictate rallies gave him the advantage in the tiebreak, which Djokovic took 7-3.

Paris 2024 | Djokovic gives Alcaraz class a round of applause in intense twelfth game

alcaraz feels pressure in second set

In the second set, Alcaraz knew he couldn’t let himself be broken. He had the first serve in this set. Djokovic’s ability to dominate rallies could have been fatal to Alcaraz if he had a weaker service game.

On this day, the public regularly interfered in the match. It is sometimes an atypical tennis public, which did not always appreciate Djokovic’s irritation. On one occasion, he had to ask the umpire to calm the public down.

djokovic stays focused

But the irritations had no effect on Djokovic’s game. Gold was his obsession and nothing could distract him from it. The conducting of the rallies continued, even though Alcaraz sometimes had brilliantly crafted points.

For example, at 2-3 for Alcaraz in the second set, Alcaraz responded brilliantly at the line to a drop shot from Djokovic, and had the audience on their feet with fingers behind their ears.

Paris 2024 | Novak Djokovic secures career golden slam in tiebreak against Carlos Alcaraz

djokovic determined to the end

The great points kept coming, as the match slowly moved towards the tiebreak. And Djokovic is a king of tiebreaks. Although Alcaraz seemed to offer resistance early in the tiebreak, he was no match for Djokovic’s extremely good spread.

Djokovic wins in a memorable final that perhaps deserved a third set. But every young tennis player will learn a lot from the unflappable, determined conductor that Djokovic showed himself to be today.

Paris 2024 | “Only on the last ball did I believe in victory” – Novak Djokovic

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