Novak Djokovic ended his quest for an elusive Olympics gold medal, defeating Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros to earn revenge for last month’s Wimbledon final defeat.
The Olympic gold was the only major title missing from Djokovic’s record-breaking career and he becomes the oldest Olympic men’s singles champion in history at the age of 37.
Djokovic was thrashed by Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final in just 21 days ago, but secured a memorable gold medal for Serbia by winning 7-6 (3) 7-6 (2).
An epic 93-minute first set proved key, swinging Djokvoic’s way as he struck first in the tiebreak. Alcaraz managed to hang on in the second but Djokovic won the second tiebreak of the match to claim an emotional gold for Serbia.
Alcaraz, the youngest man to reach an Olympic men’s singles final, won both the French Open and Wimbledon titles this summer and takes home silver for Spain at the age of 21.
Follow live score updates from the Olmypic final at Roland Garros, below
Djokovic vs Alcaraz LIVE: Score and updates from Olympics tennis final
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Djokovic faces Alcaraz with history on the line in blockbuster Olympics final
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Djokovic, 37, and Alcaraz, 21, and into first Olympics final and are bidding for gold
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FIRST SET! Djokovic saves eight break points to win tiebreak in 93-minute first set
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Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in last month’s Wimbledon final and in straight sets
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Alcaraz, the French Open champion, has won 12 matches in a row at Roland Garros
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Djokovic has never won the Olympics gold and this could be his final chance
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Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo and Cristina Bucsa win bronze
NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS THE OLYMPIC CHAMPION!
16:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 6-6 (6-2) Carlos Alcaraz*
16:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And now an error on the opposite wing. This looks to be it…
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 6-6 (5-2) Carlos Alcaraz*
16:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A flat forehand into the net from Alcaraz. Two points between Novak Djokovic and gold.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 7-6 (7-3), 6-6 (4-2) Carlos Alcaraz
15:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle
But Alcaraz is not dead and buried just yet! Flashing feet and fierce forehands take us back on serve.
Until the shot of the match! That’s right out of the Alcaraz armoury from Djokovic, retrieving a missile of a forehand that lands with laser-guided precision in the far corner.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 7-6 (7-3), 6-6 (2-0) Carlos Alcaraz
15:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle
First blood to Djokovic. An instant mini-break to draw a furious Alcaraz to hurl expletives into the nothingness. And Djokovic backs it up, somehow surviving a point Alcaraz dominated.
He’s five points away…
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 6-6 Carlos Alcaraz
15:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A few boos and whistles as the two players and the umpire gather for an on-court discussion after a Novak Djokovic first serve clips the net and appears to land out. It’s called as much by the line judge, but Carlos Alcaraz finds the mark split between clay and chalk, affording Djokovic a second go. It matters not as the veteran buries his second first serve in the net, but that’s the only error of a nerveless hold.
Tie-break two.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 7-6 (7-3), 5-6 Carlos Alcaraz
15:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And that’s a mighty good time to collect a hold to love. Carlos Alcaraz conserves energy with rock solid tennis.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 5-5 Carlos Alcaraz*
15:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Neither player will submit. Two and a half hours in, we remain without a break in this gold medal match.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 7-6 (7-3), 4-5 Carlos Alcaraz
15:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Novak Djokovic takes his time between games, adjusting the strapping on his right knee, which hasn’t seemed to hamper him much at all. The level in this match has been simply extraordinary.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 7-6 (7-3), 4-5 Carlos Alcaraz
15:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle
But Alcaraz won’t let his opponent get away! Two beautifully-played points keep him very much alive.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 4-4 Carlos Alcaraz*
15:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This is simply sublime tennis. Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic go blow-for-blow in a rally that takes in all four corners of this massive Philippe-Chatrier surface, the youngster just about holding his nerve at the net.
It seems to set him on course for a love hold, but Djokovic is far from buried, upping the intensity and fighting back to deuce. If he could pinch this…
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 4-4 Carlos Alcaraz*
15:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Carlos Alcaraz howls like a wounded wolf, his prey having escaped him as a sight of a break point goes a-begging. Novak Djokovic has figured out a few gremlins in the Spaniard’s system, repeatedly wrong-footing him with seemingly conservative strokes that are nonetheless bringing joy. 20 games in the match, 20 holds.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 7-6 (7-3), 3-4 Carlos Alcaraz
15:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Wow. A golden opportunity for Novak Djokovic to get to 0-30, a point of superb construct seemingly setting up a volleyed winner. Alcaraz’s shot is firm and intelligently fired at the body, though it’s still a real surprise as Djokovic slices wide.
Three more points to the Spaniard and back to the chair he goes relatively content.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 3-3 Carlos Alcaraz*
15:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Extraordinary. Novak Djokovic’s drop shot would have left just about every other player wandering across to field his next serve, so shallow and seemingly certain to hit the clay twice. But Alcaraz just moves differently, somehow closing the space in time not just to forge a winner but also a feint, ensuring that Djokovic is moving the wrong way as he lifts it up the line.
The Serb’s serve just looks impenetrable at the moment, though. He’s at 90% for the set and tonks his first ace of the match down the middle en route to squaring affairs.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 7-6 (7-3), 2-3 Carlos Alcaraz
15:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Carlos Alcaraz conjures something to extricate himself from 15-30, supreme movement as he hurries to his right before contorting his racquet around it for a cross-court hook winner. He’s being forced to find something special with concerning regularity, but we remain without a break in the match.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 2-2 Carlos Alcaraz*
15:08 , Harry Latham-Coyle
As if to demoralise his younger opponent, Djokovic puts away his hold without fuss or fury. It feels like the pattern of play has swung dramatically from set one to two – Alcaraz needs to find something.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 7-6 (7-3), 1-2 Carlos Alcaraz
15:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A first doube fault from Alcaraz, the mental frazzles perhaps starting to show. A wretched inside-out forehand continues a slide from 30-0 to a Djokovic break point…but Alcaraz atones instantly, consulting the textbook between points to execute the same shot to perfection.
Alcaraz gees himself up having restored order to get through another game.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 1-1 Carlos Alcaraz*
14:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A change of approach on return from Carlos Alcaraz, having spent the first set way back beyond the baseline and now much more proactive with his position. Djokovic adapts as well as you would expect and wrong-foots an advancing Alcaraz to seal a hold to love.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 7-6 (7-3), 0-1 Carlos Alcaraz
14:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle
We’ve seen that Carlos Alcaraz has serious stamina throughout this brilliant summer, but this is another test of his ability to sustain and survive. And Djokovic just seems to have found his range. A couple of flat forehands kiss the clay pleasantly to draw a couple of deuces.
Alcaraz eventually holds, as you feel he must in the first phase of this second set.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-3), 0-0 Carlos Alcaraz
14:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The stands sway to a spot of Joe Dassin as Novak Djokovic nips away to do whatever he does between sets. Carlos Alcaraz shelters in the shade, mopping up the sweat on his forehead. Eight break points came and went for the Spaniard without joy in that set.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic wins first set tie-break!
14:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Vintage Novak Djokovic! Carlos Alcaraz made so much of the running but Djokovic has refused to yield, and a delectable forehand drop volley seals the opening set. 7-6 (7-3), in a little more than an hour-and-a-half. Gripping, gruelling, glorious.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 6-6 (6-3) Carlos Alcaraz*
14:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle
How has that landed in? An extraordinary return winner from Novak Djokovic, somehow getting on top of a ball rising to chin height and catching the chalk inside the service box. Carlos Alcaraz can merely shrug.
Djokovic backs it up. Three set points…
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 6-6 (3-3) Carlos Alcaraz*
14:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle
All on serve at the change of ends, as you suspected it might be.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 6-6 (2-2) Carlos Alcaraz
14:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Too good from Carlos Alcaraz. Novak Djokovic twice has second serves to attack early in the tie-break but can’t get himself ahead in the point. Alcaraz blasts two more winners past him.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 6-6 Carlos Alcaraz
14:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This is glorious tennis. We are now beyond the 80-minute mark in this marathon opening set and yet the quality and energy remains so, so high, Carlos Alcaraz sliding like Tom Cruise in Risky Business to bop a backhand winner down the line before showing off those deft hands to leave Novak Djokovic stranded.
But Djokovic has a break point! A couple of curious moments from Alcaraz, first yorking himself and flicking a backhand wide and then patting a volley into the mesh. Thankfully, that fabulous forehand is still in good working order. Deuce.
A grunt and a groan from Djokovic as he over-reaches on the backhand side. Tie-break time!
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 6-5 Carlos Alcaraz*
14:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The cry of a tot in amongst the ticket-holders causes a pause as Novak Djokovic steps away from a serve, thankfully seeing the funny side as the parent attends to the young heckler. Djokovic duly collects the point, though lets the next slip uncharacteristically tamely.
A crunching serve digs him out of danger.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 5-5 Carlos Alcaraz
14:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“Vamos!” cries Alcaraz as Djokovic turns away in disgust having found the top of the net after another extended exchange. Djokovic is having to find the full extent of his strokemaking to keep pace with Alcaraz, who just looks to have extra gears right now. His 17th winner of the match takes us to bonus tennis.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 5-4 Carlos Alcaraz*
14:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s Alcaraz’s turn to salvage something, managing to get back to deuce. What a blow it would be for Djokovic to strike if he can hold…and he does at the second attempt. Gutsy, gutsy stuff, and he forces Alcaraz to serve to stay in the set.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 4-4 Carlos Alcaraz*
14:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Now then. Novak Djokovic puts too much oomph into a forehand before carelessly double-faulting, his big kicker serve also too meaty. 0-30…though a confident clap to the corner gets the server’s tally started after a floaty Alcaraz return.
Some remarkable defensive tennis from Alcaraz earns him a break point, though, the Spaniard thrown this way and that in Djokovic’s spin cycle but clinging on and drawing an error. But the Serbian just about survives, yet more superb Spanish scrambling not quite enough to force another mistake.
But there’s been an uplift in the level in this game from Alcaraz, using his athleticism to snare another break point. Djokovic saves it once more. On we go.
A third break point comes and goes, Alcaraz unable to land his big left hook. And a fourth! Djokovic is grittily clinging on. Break point five saved! Extraordinary. We’re already beyond the hour-mark.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic* 4-4 Carlos Alcaraz
14:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle
More like it from Alcaraz, nimbly back-pedalling along the baseline and unfurling a top spin forehand that is too deep and too good for Djokovic to get to.
Djokovic thumps back a return that is, oddly, volleyed at knee height by Alcaraz deep in the court, but the Spaniard gets away with it as his opponent nets a drop shot. A hold to love.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 4-3 Carlos Alcaraz*
13:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A few murmurs around Court Philippe-Chatrier as Carlos Alcaraz pushes an innocuous forehand long, and then it’s the Spaniard himself ranting, furious having framed another simple enough return. A double fault – the first of the match – is the lone hiccup in a much more comfortable hold for Novak Djokovic.
Olympics 2024: *Novak Djokovic 3-3 Carlos Alcaraz
13:53 , Jamie Braidwood
At this point of the Wimbledon final, Alcaraz was already a set up and racing into a lead in the second.
After 40 minutes here we’ve had five games, with a series of long, tough holds that have gone to deuce.
The level is fantastic though, as Alcaraz rips a crosscourt winner past the advancing Djokovic in this sixth game.
Djokovic nets and we’re level again at 3-3.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 3-2 Carlos Alcaraz*
13:50 , Jamie Braidwood
Djokovic saves another break point on his way to closing out the game and move 3-2 in front, meeting a smash after sending Alcaraz out wide on the serve.
Alcaraz is really ramping up the forehand power and it led to two break points there, but he overcooked his biggest weapon.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 2-2 Carlos Alcaraz*
13:46 , Jamie Braidwood
Sublime, astonishing shot from Alcaraz as he races to meet a Djokovic drop shot and flick it down the line on his backhand side.
30-30. Winner from Alcaraz! That was all down to sheer power! He forced Djokovic back behind the backhand and then crushes the forehand winner!
30-40 and break point: but that’s a brilliant serve from Djokovic, right down the middle.
Deuce again.
Olympics 2024: *Novak Djokovic 2-2 Carlos Alcaraz
13:41 , Jamie Braidwood
Wonderful from Alcaraz! He saves three break points from 0-40 down. Alcaraz gets his hold as he sends Djokovic running out wide to right, then stepping in to land the soft drop-volley.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 2-1 Carlos Alcaraz*
13:38 , Jamie Braidwood
Now it’s Djokovic’s turn to get a look at 0-30! Alcaraz goes for the backhand sliced dropshot but Djokovic reads it and flicks the winner up the line.
On the Alcaraz serve, Djokovic attacks – a roaring forehand winner up the line, right off the bat against Alcaraz’s serve! What a shot!
Three break points: Alcaraz saves the first with a forehand behind Alcaraz. Now the second as Alcaraz moves in to snap a backhand crosscourt.
Third break point: and Djokovic puts the return out on the backhand! I think Djokovic thought that serve was out. But it’s deuce.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 2-1 Carlos Alcaraz*
13:31 , Jamie Braidwood
Woah! Sensational defence from Alcaraz, scurrying from side to side to keep the point alive. He hangs up a lob and Djokovic puts it long!
That brings up 0-30. Alcaraz overcooks two forehands in a row, and then finds the net on the backhand as Djokovic sends him running.
Another miss from Alcaraz and Djokovic escapes.
Olympics 2024: *Novak Djokovic 1-1 Carlos Alcaraz
13:26 , Jamie Braidwood
Alcaraz gets his hold after the second deuce and pumps his fist as Djokovic floats a slice long. Alcaraz stepped up his forehand power.
Just what he needed from break point down.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 1-0 Carlos Alcaraz*
13:22 , Jamie Braidwood
Djokovic rips a scorching winner off Alcaraz’s forehand, sending it crosscourt for an euption from his fans.
Suddenly, it’s break point as Alcaraz puts two consecutive backhands into the net from 40-30. An early chance for Djokovic.
Alcaraz is close to the ace out wide, but it’s out. Djokovic finds a sharp return… Alcaraz goes for the drop shot, and it lands!
Deuce.
Olympics 2024: Novak Djokovic 1-0 Carlos Alcaraz*
13:11 , Jamie Braidwood
Djokovic will serve to get this final underway.
Remember the opening game of the Wimbledon final? It was an epic. This was not so much. Djokovic jumps out to 40-0 as Alcaraz makes a couple of errors.
Djokovic also looked to shorten points as much as possible in the Wimbledon final. He brings Alcaraz in, but the Spaniard is too quick and finds the angled volley.
Then Djokovic goes long. Back to 40-30. Big serve from Djokovic! He gets his hold to start the final.
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz LIVE: Score and updates from Olympics tennis final
13:07 , Jamie Braidwood
Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi.
Only four players in tennis singles history have completed the career golden slam: winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, and Olympic gold.
Novak Djokovic can become the fifth.
Serena Williams is actually in the front row today.
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz LIVE: Score and updates from Olympics tennis final
13:02 , Jamie Braidwood
Here we go! Djokovic and Alcaraz are in the tunnel and will step out onto the court in the next few moments.
Alcaraz is jumping up and down like a coiled spring ready to go. He leads Djokovic up the stairs and out into the sunshine on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
A huge ovation greets both players as they are welcomed onto court. There are lots of Spanish fans here, flags everywhere.
But Djokovic has fans whereever he goes and there are plenty of Serbian flags in the stands as well. It’s electric!
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz LIVE: Score and updates from Olympics tennis final
12:51 , Jamie Braidwood
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have only played two times on clay. One was their first ever meeting in Madrid when Alcaraz won a sensational title at the age of just 18. The other was a year later at the French Open semi-finals.
It didn’t to to play for Alcaraz, who was hit by cramps after the second set. Alcaraz later admitted it was because of the nerves of facing Djokovic at a grand slam. It proved a critical moment in his career.
A month later, he was beating Djokovic to win the Wimbledon title. A year later, he was winning both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same summer – beating Djokovic again on the grass.
Ahead of their return to Court Philippe-Chatrier, Djokovic faces a very different Alcaraz.
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz LIVE: Score and updates from Olympics tennis final
12:37 , Jamie Braidwood
It’s a gorgeous day in Paris for this men’s singles final, and one of the best Olympic finals in years, between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
There will be a break as the doubles net is replaced with the singles net and Court Philippe-Chatrier is prepared. Djokovic and Alcaraz will take to the court at 1pm BST.
Novak Djokovic ‘inferior’ to Carlos Alcaraz in Wimbledon final defeat
12:32 , Jamie Braidwood
Novak Djokovic was brutally honest about his performance after he was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in last month’s Wimbledon final:
“I was inferior on the court. That’s it. He was a better player. He played every single shot better than I did,” he said.
“I did all I can to prepare myself for this match and this tournament in general. If someone told me I would play Wimbledon finals three, four weeks ago, I would take it for sure.
“Of course, I do feel disappointed. It’s a bitter taste to lose the finals the way I did today. I can always be self-critical, which I am. I can always find the flaws, which I can already see.
“I don’t think that would change too much the course of the match, to be honest. From the very beginning, you could see he was at least half a step better than I am in every way.
“I also feel like, in a match-up today against the best player right now in the world for sure, other than Jannik [Sinner}, and both of them are the best this year by far, I’m not at that level.”
Olympics 2024: Bronze for Spain in women’s doubles
12:24 , Jamie Braidwood
It’s bronze in the women’s doubles for Spain as Sara Sorribes Tormo and Cristina Bucsa defeat Czech pair Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova 6-2 6-2.
A fine victory for the Spaniards, who were controlled and aggressive. The Czechs made too many errors to compete.
It kicks off the Spanish party on Court Philippe-Chatroer, which is already full of Spanish flags everywhere you look.
Carlos Alcaraz will look to continue it when he takes on Novak Djokovic in the men’s final, which is next.
Carlos Alcaraz delivers destruction of Novak Djokovic to win second Wimbledon title
12:05 , Jamie Braidwood
Twenty-one days ago, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final with a brilliant display on Centre Court.
Alcaraz became just the third man aged 21 and under to win multiple Wimbledon titles, after Bjorn Borg and Borris Becker. The Spaniard is also just the sixth man in the Open era to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same summer, joining Borg, Rod Laver, Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.
It’s clear Alcaraz is on his way to becoming an all-time great. Now, he goes for further history in the Olympics final and Djokovic is his opponent once again.
Carlos Alcaraz delivers destruction of Novak Djokovic to win second Wimbledon title
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz LIVE: Score and updates from Olympics tennis final
11:45 , Jamie Braidwood
Novak Djokovic on Carlos Alcaraz:
“Alcaraz has proved the best player in the world at the moment.
“He’s definitely favourite, but it’s the Olympics, it’s anybody’s game.”
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz LIVE: Score and updates from Olympics tennis final
11:45 , Jamie Braidwood
First set! Cristina Bucsa and Sara Sorribes Tormo get the Spain fans on their feet in Court Philippe-Chatrier as they take the opening set 6-2 against Karoline Muchova and Linda Noskova.
Great first set from them, with plenty of passing winners. There are Spain flags everywhere you look and it’s building into a great atmosphere before Djokovic vs Alcaraz.
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz LIVE: Score and updates from Olympics tennis final
11:25 , Jamie Braidwood
Route to final: Novak Djokovic
R1: vs Matthew Ebden 6-0 6-1
R2: vs Rafael Nadal 6-1 6-4
R3: vs Dominik Koepfer 7-5 6-3
QFs: vs Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 7-6
SFs: vs Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-2
F: vs Carlos Alcaraz
Olympics 2024: Women’s doubles final underway
11:13 , Jamie Braidwood
Before we are treated to Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s final, we have the bronze medal match in the women’s doubles.
Going for bronze, we have the Czech duo of Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova against Spain pair Cristina Bucsa and Sara Sorribes Tormo.
The Czechs already have one gold from the tennis competition after Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machas triumphed in the mixed doubles.
Spain could get their first medal on the board before Alcaraz faces Djokovic for gold in the men’s singles final laster this afternoon.
Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz LIVE: Score and updates from Olympics tennis final
11:05 , Jamie Braidwood
Route to final: Carlos Alcaraz
R1 – vs Hady Habib 6-3 6-1
R2 – vs Tallon Griekspoor 6-1 7-6
R3 – vs Roman Safiullin 6-4 6-2
QFs – Tommy Paul – 6-3 7-6
SFs – vs Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 6-1
F – vs Novak Djokovic
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