Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz meet for the Olympic tennis men’s singles gold

PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will meet for the men’s tennis singles gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Sunday in the latest installment of a fascinating old-vs.-young rivalry that included a matchup in the Wimbledon final three weeks ago.

Alcaraz won that one — “Quite comfortably,” Djokovic acknowledged — just like he did when they played each other for last year’s trophy at the All England Club.

When Alcaraz’s semifinal in Paris ended Friday afternoon — before Djokovic played in his later semifinal that night — the 21-year-old Spaniard was asked what it might be like to possibly take on the 37-year-old Serbian again.

“Hopefully,” Alcaraz said with a chuckle, “the same as Wimbledon.”

Here is what else to know about the men’s tennis singles final:

Why does Djokovic vs. Alcaraz for the men’s tennis singles gold matter?

Djokovic is the oldest man in an Olympic tennis singles final; Alcaraz is the youngest.

Djokovic is considered by many to be the greatest men’s tennis player in history, a stance bolstered by statistics such as his 24 Grand Slam titles (more than any other man) and his 400-plus weeks spent at No. 1 in the rankings (more than any man or woman).

There is basically just one thing missing from his resume: an Olympic gold. Before beating Lorenzo Musetti in Paris on Friday, Djokovic had been 0-3 in Summer Games semifinals, losing to the eventual champion each time — Rafael Nadal in Beijing, Andy Murray in London, Alexander Zverev in Tokyo.

Djokovic left the 2008 Olympics with a bronze, but he really wanted to improve on that now.

“I know,” Musetti said, “how much it means for (him) to win a gold.”

Alcaraz is the best thing going right now in the sport, having added his recent Wimbledon triumph to the one that came in June at the French Open, which is contested annually at Roland Garros, the clay-court facility being used for the Paris Games’ tennis competition.

In 2022, he became the first teenager to reach No. 1 in the ATP rankings and now has four Grand Slam titles — the first man to win at least one on clay, grass and hard courts before age 22.

“Alcaraz has proven the best player in the world at the moment,” said Djokovic, who was seeded No. 1 at the Olympics after top-ranked Jannik Sinner withdrew because of tonsillitis.

Alcaraz was seeded No. 2, but other players tend to agree with Djokovic’s assessment.

“It’s not a secret that, right now,” said American Tommy Paul, who lost to the Spanish star in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the Olympics, “Alcaraz is kind of like the golden standard.”

Why is Djokovic wearing a gray sleeve on his knee at the Olympics?

Djokovic tore the meniscus in his right knee during a fourth-round victory at the French Open on June 3, then had surgery in Paris two days later. Most people figured he would need to skip Wimbledon, which started on July 1, and the Olympics.

Nope.

He showed up at the All England Club, wearing a gray sleeve on his right knee, and while it took him a few matches to get going, eventually Djokovic looked very much like himself. Until, that is, he took on Alcaraz for the title.

At the Summer Games, there was only one match where the knee was an issue — when he felt pain in the second set of a victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals Thursday night. But he put in plenty of work with his physiotherapist between then and his match against Musetti, when all was OK.

“I feel like I’m a different player than I was in Wimbledon. The way I move. The way I’m striking the ball,” said Djokovic, who eliminated Nadal in the second round in Paris.

“I feel more confident about myself and chances in the final” on Sunday, he said.

Is Djokovic or Alcaraz the betting favorite for the gold?

Alcaraz is favored to win the men’s singles final, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, which lists him with a -250 money line. Djokovic is at +195. If Djokovic manages to win in straight sets, that would pay off at +360.

“The way he’s playing,” Djokovic said, “he’s definitely a favorite.”

How to watch Djokovic vs. Alcaraz for the men’s tennis gold

The men’s final is scheduled to be the second match at Court Philippe Chatrier on Sunday and won’t start before 2 p.m. local time (8 a.m. EDT). To find the right channel, check NBC’s online schedule.

What is the head-to-head record between Djokovic and Alcaraz?

They have met a total of six times previously and each man has won three of those matches.

The only time they played at Court Philippe Chatrier was in the 2023 French Open semifinals. Djokovic won that one 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 when Alcaraz succumbed to full-body cramps during the last two sets.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games