Carlos Alcaraz spoke about his Olympic final defeat to Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard lost the gold medal match 6-7(3), 6-7(2) in Paris.

 

Carlos Alcaraz, the young Spanish tennis star, recently opened up about his heartbreaking defeat in the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics. In a closely contested final, Alcaraz fell to Novak Djokovic with scores of 6-7(3), 6-7(2), marking a significant moment in his burgeoning career.

Speaking at a pre-tournament press conference ahead of the US Open, Alcaraz described the Olympic final as one of the most important matches of his life. “This is one of the most important finals of my career, of my life,” he stated. Reflecting on the nature of the loss, he acknowledged the rarity of such a significant defeat, noting that the Olympics, held every four years, present a unique challenge. “I know that the Olympic Games are every four years, so I don’t know if I’m going to have another chance to win the gold. I’m going to fight for it, for sure, the next Olympics Games.”

Despite the loss, Alcaraz remained positive about his achievement. “In front of me, I had a really good player fighting for the same thing as me, and he deserved it,” he said, referring to Djokovic. The Spaniard eventually

came to terms with the silver medal, recognizing it as a considerable accomplishment. “Days after the Olympics, I realized that I won the silver medal, and it was a great achievement for me that I have to be proud of.”

Looking ahead, Alcaraz is determined to build on his experiences from the Olympic final. He expressed a desire to learn from his previous matches and handle future pressure better. “I try to keep going, try to learn about this match,” he said. “Just the next finals or the next important matches of my career, I’m going to deal with them in a different way or a better way than I did in the Olympics.”

As he prepares for the US Open 2024, where he will face Australian Li Tu in the first round, Alcaraz is eager to shift his focus. This will be their first encounter, and a strong performance in Flushing Meadows could be crucial for the Spaniard, especially after his recent early exit at the Cincinnati Open.

Alcaraz, who has amassed 38 wins from 46 matches in 2024 and secured three titles, is looking to rebound from his disappointing Cincinnati showing. With his eyes set firmly on future victories, Alcaraz’s resilience and commitment to growth continue to define his promising career.