Men’s singles tennis gold medal match highlights, Paris 2024 Olympics: Novak Djokovic beats Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3), 7-6(2)

Novak Djokovic becomes the fifth player (3rd male) to complete the ‘GOLDEN SLAM’ (Four grand slams and Olympic singles gold)

Also, at 37, he becomes the oldest man to win the singles gold since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988

The scores will read Djokovic-Alcaraz

Alcaraz to serve

1-0: Djokovic with a FH winner away from Alcaraz

Djokovic to serve

2-0: Djokovic works hard and forces Alcaraz to fire his FH into the net

2-1: Djokovic fires his FH out of the court

Alcaraz to serve

2-2: Alcaraz with a powerful FH winner down the line

3-2: Djokovic with a powerful FH winner away from a stretching Alcaraz

Djokovic to serve

4-2: Djokovic with a FH winner from near the net

5-2: Alcaraz hits his FH into the net

Alcaraz to serve

6-2: Match point for Djokovic after Alcaraz fires his BH into the net

Game: Djokovic wins the Gold Medal with a powerful FH down the line

Djokovic to serve (Alcaraz leads second set 6-5)

15-0: Alcaraz returns Djokovic’s serve into the net

30-0: Djokovic with a FH winner

40-0: Djokovic with another FH winner to the right side of the court

Game: Alacarz’s BH serve return goes only as far as the net

Alcaraz to serve

15-0: Alcaraz with a FH winner from near the net

30-0: Djokovic returns Alcaraz’s serve out of the court

40-0: Djokovic with another error

Game: Djokovic hits his BH out of the court

Djokovic to serve

15-0: Alcaraz returns Djokovic’s serve into the net

15-15: Djokovic fires his shot into the net

30-15: Djokovic with FH drop shot near the net which Alcaraz returns out of the court

40-15: Alcaraz returns Djokovic’s serve out of the court

40-30: Alcaraz with BH winner down the line

Game: Djokovic follows up a powerful FH with a shot from near the net which Alcaraz returns out of the court

Alcaraz to serve

15-0: Alcaraz with some clever play and ends it with an easy soft FH winner near the net

30-0: Djokovic returns Alcaraz’s serve into the net

40-0: Error from Djokovic

40-15: Alcaraz’s BH fails to clear the net

40-30: Alcaraz lobs the ball into the sky and it lands outside the court

40-40: Djokovic hits a BH winner away from Alcaraz, from near the net

A-40: A long rally ends with Alcaraz’s hitting a FH winner from near the net

Game: Alcaraz makes Djokovic run across the court and finishes with a FH smash from near the net

Djokovic to serve

15-0: Alcaraz hits the net with a BH

15-15: Djokovic’s FH down the line clips the net and goes out

30-15: Alcaraz cannot clear the net while trying to return Djokovic’s serve

30-30: Alcaraz makes Djokovic work hard and finishes off with a FH winner from mid-court

40-30: Alcaraz returns Djokovic’s serve out of the court

40-40: Djokovic’s BH goes out of the court

A-40: Alcaraz’s BH hits the net

Game: Alcaraz’s stretches to reach Djokovic’s serve but hits its out of the court

Alcaraz to serve

0-15: Alcaraz hits his FH out of the court

15-15: Djokovic hits his BH wide from near the net

30-15: Alcaraz follows up a powerful serve with a FH winner 

40-15: Djokovic with a BH error

Game: Djokovic returns Alcaraz’s serve out of the court 

Djokovic to serve

0-15: Alcaraz predicts Djokovic’s drop shot and replies with a FH winner from near the net.

15-15: A late call as Alcaraz hits his BH wide.

30-15: Djokokvic with a serve down the middle which Alcaraz return out of the court.

40-15: Ace!

Game: Alcaraz misses an easy shot and shoots his FH into the net

Alcaraz to serve

0-15: Alcaraz hits his FH wide after trying to find the far end of the court

15-15: Djokovic’s BH return goes out of the court

15-30: Alcaraz cannot react quickly to send the ball past the net

30-30: Alcaraz sends a FH to the right side of the court from near the net

40-30: Alcaraz with a powerful FH winner

40-40: Djokovic makes it deuce after Alcaraz sends his FH out of the court

A-40: Djokovic returns Alcaraz’s serve into the net

Game: Djokovic’s BH goes out of the court

Djokovic to serve

15-0: Alcaraz hits the net with his BH

30-0: A long rally ends with Alcaraz hitting his BH well wide

40-0: Djokovic approaches the net and fires his FH down the line

Game: Alcaraz finds the net while trying to return Djokovic’s serve

Alcaraz to serve

15-0: Djokovic hits the net with his BH

30-0: Djokovic commits the same error

30-15: Alcaraz tries to take the ball away from Djokovic and hits his BH wide

30-30: Double fault

30-40: Break point for Djokovic as Alcaraz hits his FH way out of the court

40-40: Alcaraz makes it deuce with a FH away from Djokovic

A-40: Alcaraz with a FH winner down the line

Game: Djokovic returns Alcaraz’s serve into the net

Djokovic to serve

15-0: Alcaraz hits his BH wide

30-0: Djokovic with a FH winner down the right

40-0: Alcaraz returns Djokovic’s serve into the net

Game: Djokovic with a FH winner down the line

Alcaraz to serve

15-0: Alcaraz with a FH winner

30-0: Djokovic miscues his BH which goes wide

40-0: Djokovic with another error

40-15: Alcaraz tries to slice the ball to the right side of the court, but it ends up going wide

40-30: Alcaraz tries a BH drop shot which hits the net

40-40: Alcaraz tries to lob the ball over Djokovic who was near the net, but ends up hitting it wide

A-40: Alcaraz with a FH drop shot winner near the net

40-40: Djokovic’s FH down the court falls just inside

A-40: Alcaraz with a FH winner near the net

Game: Alcaraz wins the first game after Djokovic hits a BH out

The scores will read Djokovic-Alcaraz.

Djokovic to serve.

1-0: Alcaraz tries to slice a FH from Djokovic, ends up hitting wide.

Alcaraz to serve.

1-1: A FH winner by Alcaraz from mid court.

1-2: Alcaraz reads that Djokovic is moving to the net and sends his BH just wide enough to beat him.

Djokovic to serve.

2-2: Alcaraz hits long and concedes a point.

3-2: A soft FH volley from Djokovic to the left of the court.

Alcaraz to serve.

3-3: A flat serve far wide to the left. Djokovic fails to control the return.

Alcaraz to serve.

4-3: A return ace from Djokovic. He keeps the return short and gets it on the line. He’s mini-break up now.

Djokovic to serve.

5-3: Alcaraz hits his FH long. He seems unhappy with the service call.

6-3: Another service return sent way too long by Alcaraz.

7-3: Djokovic with a volley at the net to take the game.

Alcaraz to serve. 

0-15: A FH slice from Alcaraz ends up taking too much elevation and lands long.

15-15: A BH winner from Alcaraz. He is full stretch to his left as he hits that.

30-15: A FH drop shot by Alcaraz to win the point.

30-30: Alcaraz’s BH slice shot is into the side gallery.

30-40: Alcaraz hits a volley into the net.

40-40: A cross court FH winner from Alcaraz to save the set point. Deuce!

A-40: A rocket BH from Alcaraz is at an almost impossible angle for Djokovic. The Serbian stretches get something on it but hits it long.

Game: Djokovic goes long with his return and we will have a tiebreak.

Djokovic to serve.

0-15: A drop shot winner from Alcaraz.

15-15: Djokovic mounts the net once more to hit an overhead volley to take the point.

30-15: Djokovic hits a flat serve and Alcaraz cannot make it clear the net.

30-30: An error on a simple FH from Djokovic. He hits it long.

40-30: Djokovic again forces Alcaraz wide with a flat serve. Alcaraz hits it wide, trying to go around the net. 

Game: Djokovic is at the net, Alcaraz tries to chip it over him but hits long.

Alcaraz to serve.

15-0: Djokovic hits into the net with a FH.

15-15: Alcaraz hits a FH wide.

30-15: Djokovic misses his passing BH shot.

30-30: Alcaraz sends his drop shot wide.

40-30: Fault. A BH from Djokovic ends up beyond the baseline.

Game: A FH winner down the line from Alcaraz. 

Djokovic to serve.

0-15: Djokovic hits a FH long over the baseline.

0-30: A double fault.

15-30: Djokovic with a FH winner from close to the net.

30-30: Alcaraz sends a drop shot return wide. 

30-40: Djokovic is well in control of this rally but the ball pops up off the net and lands wide. A break point for Alcaraz.

40-40: What a rally! Djokovic makes Alcaraz run the length and breadth. Alcaraz just about manages to meet it every time but only for the Serb to hit a FH winner from the net.

40-A: Once again the drop from Alcaraz. Djokovic barely reaches it and sets up a winner for the Spaniard.

40-40: Alcaraz hits a FH into the net.

40-A: Djokovic sends a BH long and has another break point to defend.

40-40: A BH error from Alcaraz forces another deuce.

40-A: Another one of Djokovic’s FH hits off the net and sets up a winner for Alcaraz.

40-40: Again, Alcaraz hits his BH into the net.

40-A: A BH winner this time from Alcaraz, hits it on the run.

40-40: A volley at the net from Djokovic. Alcaraz is way back behind at the baseline to reach that.

A-40: Alcaraz sends his service return beyond the baseline.

40-40: Djokovic is at the net again, but Alcaraz catches him way far to his left with a FH-BH combo with the latter shot being the winner.

A-40: A BH into the net from Alcaraz. 

Game: Alcaraz hits a BH into the net. Djokovic leads 5-4.

Alcaraz to serve. 

15-0: A down the line FH winner from Alcaraz.

30-0: A BH error by Djokovic.

40-0: A cheeky drop shot by Alcaraz. Djokovic reaches it but puts it into the net.

Game: Djokovic hits a simple FH into the net. The set is level 4-4.

Djokovic to serve.

15-0: Alcaraz misses a FH return.

30-0: A service down the T from Djokovic. Alcaraz gets to it but hits it off his frame.

40-0: Alcaraz hits a BH into the net.

40-15: A double fault from Djokovic.

Game: Alcaraz returns the service into the net. Djokovic leads 4-3.

Alcaraz to serve.

15-0: A BH forced error by Djokovic.

30-0: A cross court FH drop shot wins Alcaraz the point.

30-15: Alcaraz hits his FH into the net. A simple shot but he gives away a point.

40-15: Djokovic moves to the net but Alcaraz puts enough swerve on it to beat him with his FH.

Game: Djokovic misses a service return and Alcaraz ties the set 3-3.

Djokovic to serve.

15-0: A FH wide from Alcaraz.

15-15: A fault to start. A BH slice drop from Djokovic hits the net.

30-15: A simple winner for Djokovic from up close to the net.

30-30: Alcaraz moves to the net to get to a drop shot. He slices it past Djokovic and takes the line as well.

30-40: A break point for the Spaniard. He makes Djokovic run across the width and then sends a FH down the middle.

40-40: A blazing serve down the T. Alcaraz cannot keep it in. Deuce. 

40-A: Djokovic’s FH goes into the net. Another break point.

40-40: Alcaraz hits a BH into the net.

40-A: Alcaraz again forces Djokovic wide which forces BH error out of him.

40-40: Another fast serve down the T. Alcaraz sends it long.

A-40: This serve has a bit more spin on it. It flies off Alcaraz’s racquet and goes long.

Game: Djokovic saves three game points and holds on.

Alcaraz to serve.

0-15: Djokovic wins the first point in this game

0-30: A fierce rally. Alcaraz tries to change the tempo with a drop shot but Djokovic is up for it and gets a FH winner.

0-40: A FH return ace from Djokovic. Three break points for the Serbian.

15-40: A cross-court FH followed by one down the line helps Alcaraz save one break point.

30-40: A slapshot of a BH from Alcaraz. Djokovic cannot clear the net.

40-40: Djokovic’s BH drifts wide and it’s deuce.

A-40: A FH winner from Alcaraz. It’s from the deuce court but keeps moving away from Djokovic. 

40-40: A FH miscue from Alcaraz. Deuce again.

A-40: Ace! 

Game: Alcaraz moves to the net to meet with a Djokovic FH. A soft-handed volley to win the point. 

2-2 level again.

Djokovic to serve.

0-15: Djokovic sends his forehand long to lose the point.

0-30: Djokovic has the rally in control. He finds a forehand angle which has Alcaraz defending way beyond the baseline. But he hits it long going for the winner.

15-30: Alcaraz hits a forehand long now from the deuce court.

30-30: Alcaraz tries to hit a forehand down the line on the right but goes long.

40-30: Alcaraz’s BH from the ad court hits the net. Djokovic was coming to the net to meet it but did not need it.

Game: Alcaraz fluffs a FH off his racquet’s frame and hits it long. Djokovic leads 2-1.

The first set is on serve at 1-1. Djokovic came close to pinching the second away from the Spaniard with a break point but could not.

Three weeks after Carlos Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, the two meet at the Paris 2024 Olympics for the gold medal.