Suryakumar Yadav and Novak Djokovic. (Picture Credit: AFP and AP)
Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in straight sets on Sunday (August 4) to win his maiden gold medal at the Olympics.
India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav took to Instagram stories on Sunday (August 4) to share a post for tennis legend Novak Djokovic after he beat Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the gold medal match of the men’s singles tennis competition at the Paris Olympics 2024. 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic defeated 2024 Wimbledon champion Alcaraz in straight sets to win his maiden gold medal at the Olympics.
The 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/2) win over the 21-year-old Spanish player helped the 37-year-old Serbian superstar become the oldest tennis player in history to win a gold medal at the Olympics. The success in the French capital also helped him become only the fifth tennis player in history after Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams to win all four Grand Slam titles and a gold medal at the Olympics.
After Djokovic’s win in the final, Surya took to Instagram to post a picture of the legendary tennis player and captioned it, “This man is on fire! Well fought and so well deserved @djokernole.”
He also appreciated silver medallist Alcaraz’s efforts by stating, “What a fight by @carlitosalcarazz.”
‘Let Spain down’
Alcaraz, who was looking to become the youngest tennis player to win an Olympic gold, was in tears after losing the men’s singles final and said he felt he “let Spain down.”
“I feel that I let the Spanish people down. I feel they were waiting for the gold medal,” said Alcaraz.
“I got emotional because I couldn’t make the Spanish people proud. That’s (why) I got emotional.”
A win over Djokovic would have continued Alcaraz’s golden summer, in which he won his first French Open on the same Roland Garros courts that hosted the Olympics and then successfully defended his Wimbledon title by getting better of Serb in straight sets.
“I’m a bit sad, but I did a great tournament. It was a really great match, and I’m really proud of myself,” he added.
“I was facing a hungry Novak; he was very impressive today. He didn’t let me have many chances, so credit to him, and he deserves victory.”
Despite his disappointment, Alcaraz said he will learn from Sunday’s loss as he heads to North America and an assault on the US Open, which he won in 2022.
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