Djokovic secures the dream final

Fernando Murciego | 2 Aug 2024 | 20.58

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We must have behaved very well in another life to be receiving so many gifts in the present one. After the experiences at Roland Garros and Wimbledon this summer, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games bring us the dream final this August that everyone has been waiting for: Carlos Alcaraz against Novak Djokovic. The Serbian secured his spot just moments ago after a two-set victory over Lorenzo Musetti (6-4, 6-2), calming the fears of all those concerned about his knee. Djokovic is in top form, ready to complete his collection in a couple of days.

After spending all of Friday speculating and checking social media for updates on Novak Djokovic's condition, it was only the clock striking 7:00 in the evening accompanied by the sight of Djokovic entering Philippe Chatrier that finally put us at ease. Understandable after seeing the footage from yesterday where he once again felt discomfort in his right knee during his match with Tsitsipas. Understandable hearing his doubts about making it to the semifinals in his post-match interview on Eurosport. Understandable hearing rumors this morning about the possibility of an extra match on center court. Yet, all those rumors quickly dissipated after the first two games of the match.

In those initial games, we saw that Novak was not only physically present on the court, but he also seemed fully recovered and hungry for major victories, with that determination in his eyes that has always driven him to conquer every challenge. Spectacular was also the level of his opponent, a man who had caused him trouble in their last encounter at Roland Garros only to be dominated weeks later at Wimbledon. What version of the Italian would we see on this Friday night? The one we love, a fierce Lorenzo playing without fear. That is until it reached 5-4.

DJOKOVIC, ONE STEP CLOSER TO HISTORY

Many things happened at that moment. Initially, there was a chance for Musetti to secure the game to love as he led 40-0 on his serve. Five minutes later, reality showed us that the game was going the other way, indicating that the first set already had a winner. This is what great champions do: they wait for that crucial moment in the match to showcase that experience also wins battles. Djokovic simply stayed focused, didn't give anything away, and executed each shot with intelligence. While the match was not yet won, we could all envision what was to come.

Interestingly, a break from Lorenzo was the first event in the second set, but it was short-lived, just a hiccup that led to nothing more. Dr. Nole quickly mended the situation and then swiftly led his troops to victory. He even found time to interact with the crowd, who occasionally booed him for some gestures that were hard to interpret. He also got into a brief dispute with the chair umpire over a couple of warnings, some for time violations and others for behavior. Nonetheless, nothing could stop a man who still had one more dream to fulfill in his career. The champion of 24 Grand Slams will now compete in his first Olympic final, facing Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday for the gold medal.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic asegura la final soñada