Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz has made history in the Olympic Games by storming into the final, becoming the youngest man to do so since tennis was reintroduced in 1988. Alcaraz, who recently won the French Open and Wimbledon, thrashed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals in just 75 minutes. The 21-year-old is set to face Novak Djokovic in the final, who is battling a knee injury and will also need to overcome Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the second semi-final.
Alcaraz expressed his excitement about the final, stating that winning the gold medal has been his objective since the start of the year. The Spanish star, playing on the same Roland Garros court where he won his maiden French Open, showcased his skills by breaking Auger-Aliassime three times in the first set and claiming a fourth successive win over the Canadian. He is only the fourth Spanish man to reach the Olympic men’s final.
Meanwhile, Djokovic is facing a fitness battle as he aims to secure an Olympic gold medal to add to his impressive record of 24 Grand Slam titles. At 37 years old, Djokovic’s time to achieve Olympic glory is running out, with the next Olympics four years away. The top seed has made three semifinals in the past Olympics but has failed to clinch the gold medal. Djokovic is set to face Musetti, the first Italian to reach the singles semifinals of an Olympic Games.
Despite boasting a dominant head-to-head record over Musetti, Djokovic has faced tough battles with the Italian on the Roland Garros courts in the past. The 22-year-old Musetti defeated defending champion Alexander Zverev to reach the semifinals and has been in great form in Paris. In the women’s bronze medal match, world number one Iga Swiatek will take on Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, while the mixed doubles gold medal will be decided between teams from the Czech Republic and China.
The Olympic tennis event has been full of excitement, with young talents like Alcaraz and Musetti showcasing their skills on the international stage. Djokovic’s quest for Olympic gold adds an element of suspense to the tournament, as he battles both opponents and fitness concerns. As the matches unfold in Paris, tennis fans around the world are eagerly watching to see who will emerge victorious and claim the prestigious Olympic titles in men’s and women’s singles, as well as mixed doubles.