Stunning Carlos Alcaraz Loss Will Not Impact Trajectory

World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz suffered the most devastating loss of his career after a straight-set defeat to Novak Djokovic in the Olympic gold medal match. The Spaniard lost in two tiebreak sets in a match lasting over three hours.

Carlos Alcaraz came into this match in sensational form, having won Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back. He had defeated Djokovic in straight sets in the Wimbledon final and was favored to capture the singles gold medal in Paris. However, he couldn’t conquer Paris twice in 2024. How will this defeat impact Alcaraz’s career?

Alcaraz’s First Major Loss

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Carlos Alcaraz entered the Olympic gold medal match with a near-perfect record in the big finals. The Spaniard had reached and won four Grand Slam finals across three different events. Incidentally, two of those Grand Slam wins came at Djokovic’s expense. Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2022, beating Casper Ruud in four sets. That win propelled him to the top of the ATP rankings, making him the first player outside the “Big 4” to finish the season as World No. 1 since 2003.

Last year, Carlos Alcaraz elevated his accolades by beating Djokovic for the first time in the Wimbledon final. That win ended the Serbian’s 10-match unbeaten run on the Wimbledon Centre Court. In 2024, Alcaraz is enjoying his best season, winning his first Roland Garros title against Alexander Zverev and defending his Wimbledon title against Djokovic. However, losing the Olympic Gold medal match was his first taste of a major defeat.

Positives From Olympics Appearance

Carlos Alcaraz appeared in tears after losing the Olympic gold medal match to Djokovic. In the press conference, he said he had “let the Spaniards down” as they expected him to lift the gold medal. Alcaraz was bidding to become the first player since Rafael Nadal to win Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the Olympic gold medal in the same year.

Despite the loss, Carlos Alcaraz can look at his Olympic campaign with his head held high. He debuted at the Olympic Games and won the silver medal. He was the only shining light for Spain in the tennis field after Nadal’s loss to Djokovic in the second round. Considering that Swiss tennis great Roger Federer took four Olympic events to achieve the same, Alcaraz can hope his gold medal moment will come. Moreover, it shouldn’t be ignored that Djokovic had to play five Olympic events to get to the gold medal match. The Spaniard also partnered with Nadal in men’s doubles in Paris but lost in the quarterfinals.

Season Ahead

Alcaraz has taken a well-deserved break from the National Bank Open. He is scheduled to play at the Cincinnati Masters, where he finished as runner-up to Djokovic last year in a thrilling three-set final. After that, he will head to Flushing Meadows looking to win his second US Open title.

Carlos Alcaraz will also debut at the Laver Cup this year, representing Team Europe where he will reunite with Nadal in Berlin. Many tennis fans can expect the return of the Olympic pairing of Nadal and Alcaraz in the event. The 21-year-old is likely to confirm his slot in the ATP World Tour Finals, where he could play for the second time. He finished as a semifinalist last year, losing to Djokovic in straight sets.

Battle for the World No.1

Carlos Alcaraz is set to battle Djokovic and Jannik Sinner for the World No.1 ranking. Despite Djokovic’s historic win, it does nothing to impact the rankings, as the Olympic Games does not merit any points according to the ATP. Hence, it is good news for both Sinner and Alcaraz. Considering Alcaraz has fewer points to defend than Sinner and Djokovic, he has a great chance to finish the year as the World No.1 for the second time.

After Wimbledon last year, Carlos Alcaraz didn’t win a single ATP title. On the other hand, Djokovic won the Cincinnati Masters, a fourth US Open title, a seventh Paris Rolex Masters, and a seventh ATP World Tour Finals. Similarly, Sinner won the National Bank Open, which is scheduled to start this week. Moreover, Sinner won two ATP 500 titles in China and Vienna before making his first final at the Nitto ATP Finals. He ended the season with the Davis Cup title for Italy.

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