Novak Djokovic moved closer to his first gold medal at the Paris Olympics, with a 6-3, 7-6(3) win over Stefanos Tsitsipas on Thursday.
The 37-year-old found himself in a dire situation, trailing 2-5 in a grueling second set. His difficulties are increased by physical difficulties: he had to save three points and call a physiotherapist for his right knee, which was recently operated on in early June when he stopped at Roland Garros.
In the beginning of the second set, Djokovic’s movement was clearly problematic. He was seen moving cautiously and writhing in pain. The place became a concern when he called the physio at 0-3 and again at 1-4. However, Djokovic, as tough as ever, began to regain his balance and confidence as the set progressed.
The turning point came when he killed the powerful champion by landing on his right hand, despite the great strain he put on his injured leg. This crucial moment happened at the appointed time, showing Djokovic’s determination.
Djokovic Saves 3 Set Points, Alcaraz Advances to Olympic Semi-Finals
The end of the match saw Djokovic amazingly save three set points on the return at 4-5, 0/40, again showing his unwavering spirit. Djokovic will face Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who eliminated Alexander Zverev in the tournament.
Carlos Alcaraz’s relentless pursuit of Olympic glory continues as he battles a tough match against American Tommy Paul on Thursday. The Spaniard’s determination shone through as he overcame the second set of setbacks to win 6-3, 7-6(7), advancing to the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics in a bid to and he will win the prize competition.
Entering the match in scintillating form with three straight wins, the 21-year-old second seed faces a tough opponent in Paul, who previously defeated Alcaraz in Montreal and Toronto. Nevertheless, the young Spaniard’s ability to raise the level of his game at crucial times continues to delight his fans.
Dressed in Spain’s signature red and yellow, Alcaraz played first-team football with a strong focus. However, the second posed a significant challenge as he found himself trailing 2-5. Just when Paul seemed ready to take the set, Alcaraz showed his determination. In 3-5, he made a victory over the professor of Farton, not only for Paul’s employers in Philippes. Those viewers and legs again when Alcaraz stored dots in 6/7 during the setback at the bottom of the line when recovering. Alcaraz won his second major, becoming the fifth Spaniard to reach the men’s singles semi-finals since the 1988 Seoul tournament.
