Carlos Alcaraz reveals what Novak Djokovic told him straight after Olympic heartbreak

Carlos Alcaraz was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with the pair sharing an emotional moment after their thrilling match
Carlos Alcaraz has opened up about the heartfelt words Novak Djokovic shared with him after their epic Olympic final clash.

The young Spaniard was bested in an edge-of-your-seat match that ended 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) to Djokovic, who exacted revenge for his Wimbledon defeat. The aftermath of the match was charged with emotion as both men broke down crying.

For Djokovic, the victory marked a long-awaited triumph, securing his first Olympic gold at the fifth attempt to add to his bronze from Beijing 2008. Despite the overwhelming joy of his own success, the 37-year-old Serb took a touching moment to commend his 21-year-old rival, who snagged the silver medal in his debut Olympics.

Alcaraz shared Djokovic’s seven-word comment at the net during his post-match press conference, telling reporters (via the Express): “He told me that ‘I will win Olympic gold one day’. We are going to work for that. I’m sure my time will come.”

With Djokovic driven to complete the career golden slam, Alcaraz felt he couldn’t match his opponent’s insatiable drive. “His tears at the end of the match reflect the desire he had for this moment to come and he deserves it because he has played very well,” he continued.

“Today I had a Novak Djokovic in front of me who wanted to win the gold more than I did. At certain times he played better tennis and deserved the victory.”

As for his own emotions, which saw him have to pause his on-court interview, Alcaraz explained it was the disappointment of falling short in the crucial tiebreaks. But he insisted he held no regrets over his performance.