Carreno Busta on the Olympic final: 'Carlos Alcaraz was a bit nervous'

The final of the Paris Olympics between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic was perhaps the most spectacular match of the entire season. Against all odds, the Serbian champion has triumphed over Philippe Chatrier and finally won the gold medal after several failed attempts.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic© Getty Images Sport – Matthew Stockman

Many thought that Tokyo 2020 was his last attempt to make his dream come true, but Novak shocked the world once again by playing a perfect tournament (in which he didn’t lose even a set). In particular, the 24-time Grand Slam champion was better than the young Spaniard at managing emotions during the match. Carlitos played a great match, but he seemed too nervous in the decisive moments and was surprised by Nole’s level.

Djokovic’s serve and forehand caused a lot of damage to Alcaraz, who had to settle for the silver medal. The four-time Grand Slam champion said he will work hard to overcome this disappointment and win a gold medal in the future, perhaps already in Los Angeles in 2028. Djokovic and Alcaraz both decided to skip the Montreal Masters 1000 to regain their energy and be in shape for the second half of the season. The two champions are expected to return to the pitch in Cincinnati, the last test before the US Open at the end of August.

The Olympic final was amazing

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have shown the highest level in the final of the Olympic tournament in Paris. During a recent interview, Spanish ace Pablo Carreno Busta – who won the bronze medal in Tokyo three years ago – spoke about the Olympic final: “The final was at an incredible level. Carlos came out, perhaps, a bit nervous initially, but that’s normal; for Nole, on the other hand, it was his last chance to get that gold. It was a spectacle for our sport, they are probably the two best in the world, so it’s a pleasure to watch them. For him, that was very, very tough mentally. My match against Nole in Tokyo? Perhaps I took advantage of that, but when I started the match, I thought I should do my best and see what happens. I ended up playing one of the best matches of my professional career.”

The 37-year-old from Belgrade had not played a good season before the Paris Olympics, having not won even one title. The Serbian ace seemed to have been definitively overtaken by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but he has shown that a legend of his caliber should never be underestimated.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic © Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill

In a recent interview with Tennis Majors, former ATP ace Yevgeny Kafelnikov paid tribute to Nole: “There is no question whether Novak is the greatest of all time in tennis, that’s for sure. Whether you can put him on the same level as Michael Jordan… I don’t, because I grew up idolising the greatest athlete of all time, which is Michael Jordan – all I wanted was to watch him play live. I’ve said it before – Olympic gold is as important as a Grand Slam title.

I tweeted the day before the match that this final was the most important match of Novak Djokovic’s career. I was absolutely sure about it. If Novak had lost on Sunday, he would have regretted it all his life. He won and proved my comments true afterwards. To be honest, it’s so funny seeing Novak’s fans on social media now – before, they were saying the Olympics were not important, but now they find it important, saying that it was necessary for him to win it. Novak showed from the beginning that he’s ready to grind and to give everything he has just to win that gold.”

Djokovic should not be underestimated

Novak will have to defend a lot of points in the second part of 2024, having won a lot last year. The Serbian legend will have to defend its titles in Cincinnati and especially at the US Open, where it will try to win its 25th Major. In 2023, Djokovic also won the Masters 1000 in Paris-Bercy and the ATP Finals in Turin.

Novak Djokovic, 2024 Paris Olympics© Clive Brunskill / Staff – Getty Images Sport

Despite winning almost everything, Nole does not want to hear the word retirement: “I know that I have already won all the big tournaments, but I still love this sport, I love competing, training day after day, continuing to improve and taking care of my body. Tennis means a lot to me and I do my best to give back to this sport everything it has given me. I don’t know what the future holds, now is the time to celebrate.” The 24-time Grand Slam champion will be one of the favorites at the US Open 2024, as his former coach Goran Ivanisevic has pointed out.