In a display of sheer resilience, Novak Djokovic advanced to the singles final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, overcoming both a surgically repaired knee and a challenging semifinal match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti with a score of 6-4, 6-2.
At 37 years old, Djokovic has become the oldest man to reach the men’s singles final in Olympic history. His upcoming match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, 21, promises to be a thrilling rematch of their recent Wimbledon final three weeks ago. Alcaraz, the youngest finalist, secured his spot after a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in the other semifinal.
Djokovic's journey to the final has been marked by perseverance. Entering the semifinals, he held an 0-3 record at this stage in previous Olympic Games, having lost to Rafael Nadal in Beijing, Andy Murray in London, and Alexander Zverev in Tokyo—all to eventual champions. This time, Djokovic cited the \"hurdle\" of overcoming past setbacks as a key motivator for his performance in Paris.
The Serbian star faced additional concerns regarding his knee, which had been a point of worry after experiencing a "sharp pain" during his quarterfinal match against Stefanos Tsitsipas on Thursday. Djokovic had torn his meniscus earlier in June at the French Open and underwent surgery in Paris to address the injury. Despite these challenges, he remained focused, only being briefly distracted by time violation calls and a warning from the chair umpire.
As the match concluded, Djokovic expressed a sense of accomplishment by staying momentarily on the court, acknowledging the significance of the Olympic final as the next milestone in his illustrious career.
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Djokovic beats Musetti to set up final against Alcaraz at Paris 2024
cgtn.com
