Djokovic tops Musetti to set gold medal match with Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic has set a blockbuster gold medal match with Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics Sunday after defeating Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-2 in Friday's semi-finals.

A 98-time tour-level titlist who has spent more than eight years atop the PIF ATP Rankings, Djokovic is guaranteed to improve upon his previous best Olympics outing, a singles bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing games. The 37-year-old fell on the red clay in relief when he secured his place in his first Olympic final.

“I have been waiting for this for almost 20 years,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “I’ve played four Olympic games, this is my fifth and I’ve never passed semi-finals. I lost three semi-finals in my first four Olympic games. I managed to overcome this big hurdle. I must be honest and say that I was thinking about all the semi-finals that I lost.”

Despite right knee injury concerns following Thursday’s quarter-final, Djokovic showed no obvious signs of hindered movement. The top seed wore the same grey knee sleeve he has been wearing throughout the tournament and at last month’s Wimbledon.

Djokovic and Musetti faced fierce opposition on serve throughout the match. The seven-time Nitto ATP Finals champion was pushed to deuce in his opening two service games and had four break points of his own at 2-1, but the 22-year-old Musetti held in a lengthy five-deuce game.

The Belgrade native later earned a decisive break at 5-4, tallying five consecutive points from 0/40 to win the opening set.

"I just tried to be in the present moment. I played against a player who is in great form and really came out firing from both ends," Djokovic said. "I just tried to maintain the focus and do what I have to do."

Novak WILL battle for gold! 🇷🇸😍@DjokerNole defeats Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-2 in #Paris2024 to reach his first Olympic tennis singles final ❗️#Olympics | #tennis pic.twitter.com/tQGg8cWiny

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 2, 2024

The first four games of a topsy-turvy second set featured as many breaks. An animated Djokovic grew frustrated with uncharacteristic errors, two of which came while down break point. Aiming for his first title of 2024, Djokovic won four consecutive games from 2-2 to advance.

"Second set, I started, I was very, very nervous just overall," Djokovic said. "Before the match, during the match, just so, so nervous. But so glad to overcome this hurdle and secure a medal for my country."

Alcaraz, who earlier raced past Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-1, won his most recent meeting against Djokovic. The Spaniard downed the 24-time major champion in the Wimbledon final, a repeat result from 2023. Their Lexus ATP Head2Head series is tied at 3-3.

Djokovic is the oldest men's singles finalist since tennis returned to Olympics in Seoul 1988. Alcaraz is the youngest to achieve that same feat.

"I’ve achieved a lot of great things in this sport, but never finals of an Olympic games, so I’m super thrilled," Djokovic said. "I hope I brought the joy to Serbian fans and people around the world and in also in Serbia. Of course I’m going to think about Alcaraz in the final tomorrow, but I’m also grateful to have a day off. I’m going to need one.”

World No. 16 Musetti will face Auger-Aliassime in the bronze medal match Saturday.

Did You Know?
Djokovic is aiming to become the fifth player, male or female, to complete the career ‘golden slam’, winning all four majors and an Olympic gold medal in singles. Stefanie Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have achieved the feat.