New Delhi: At Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic had looked old. As Carlos Alcaraz had mercilessly hammered him and reduced the match to a no-contest, fans had knowingly nodded to each other — his time was now up. The injuries were piling up, he hadn’t won a title in 2024, the younger players were getting better, and it was all adding up for the Serbian.

But Djokovic had not said a word then. He had miraculously recovered from his knee surgery and reached the final of Wimbledon. The world thought he was done, but he had just smiled. He was saving it all for the Olympics.

He had won hundreds of matches over a long career and won almost everything there was to win but there was no Olympic gold in his cabinet. For 16 years, it had eluded him and he wanted it badly. But standing in the way of successfully completing his quest was Alcaraz… again.

The Spaniard clearly didn’t fear the Serbian but the old dog, having had a few more days to recover from his surgery, had a few tricks up his sleeve as well. The games were intense, bringing back memories of the kind of tennis that Nadal and Djokovic would often dish out when they faced each other.

Alcaraz is 16 years younger than Djokovic and that difference has usually shown in the power of his forehand. At Wimbledon, on the grass, he did not miss… he just couldn’t. But here on the terre battue a different set of tactics came into play.

Djokovic knew that he didn’t have the luxury of a five-setter to fall back on. Lose the first set and Alcaraz might steamroll him again. So, he attacked. He swung freely. He went for the lines far more than in previous encounters, he went for the tough angles and he worked the drop shot like a charm.

The Serbian’s success was also down to hitting the ball deep into the opponents’ court, giving Alcaraz less time to react; less time to run around the backhand and unleash the forehand. He would often pin the Spaniard to his backhand and then throw one out to the forehand. With the feet not set, the forehand didn’t have the same venom.

At the same time, Djokovic kept moving forward, taking the ball early himself. The Spaniard is quick no doubt but if one gives him less time to react, the game changes. There was aggression borne out of experience. Alcaraz was 16 years younger, Djokovic incredibly used that to his advantage.

Very often one can be lulled into thinking that aggression is just about the big, power plays. But Djokovic showed that subtlety can be just as lethal. He was very direct and this challenged Alcaraz in a different way. The first set — a mixture of mind numbingly long rallies and intense games — lasted 93 minutes, and when Djokovic took it, the roar of the Serbians in the stands showed that this was no ordinary match.

The second set was just as intense. It was like two boxers going at each other, throwing in feints and punches, setting up the other. By the end they were exhausted but neither ready to give up. There was very little in it but whatever little there was, it was in Djokovic’s corner.

It took two tie-breakers to separate them. Djokovic stayed steady all through while, after 2 hours and 50 minutes, the kid buckled.

Alcaraz has shown that he learns from his defeat but that is true of Djokovic too. Would this match mark the start of another riveting rivalry?

“We almost played three hours for two sets. It was an incredible battle, incredible fight,” Djokovic said. “When the last shot went past him, that was the only moment I actually thought I could win the match. I mean I believed that I could win, but to actually win it, because he keeps on coming back. He keeps on asking me to play my best tennis.”

At 37, Djokovic has now become the oldest player to complete the singles career ‘Golden Slam’ – all four Grand Slams and Olympic gold in singles – alongside Steffi Graf (1988 Olympic champion), Andre Agassi (1996), Rafael Nadal (2008) and Serena Williams (2012).

The victory, though, felt very special because it was for his country.

“Three out of four Olympic Games, I lost in the semi-finals. I won a bronze medal in Beijing, which was my first Olympic Games. I carried the flag for Serbia in 2012, in London, which was one of the best feelings I ever had in my life, in my professional tennis career.

“I was so blessed to win everything pretty much there is to win in my sport, but this is something different. This supersedes everything that I’ve ever felt on the tennis court after winning big trophies. It’s just incredible joy.”

The journey to the gold was anything but smooth but at this stage of his career, nothing motivates him more than unattained goals. Perhaps Djokovic needed this too.

He has seemed like an eternally hungry champion — one trapped in a never-ending chase for glory. But just for one night perhaps he might have slept with a satisfied grin plastered on his face.

“I don’t know what to say, I’m still in shock, honestly,” said Djokovic after his win. “I put my heart, my soul, my body, my family, my everything on the line to win Olympic gold at age 37. I finally did it.”

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