Djokovic flies to the Olympics after a bout of rage
Novak Djokovic dreams of an Olympic gold medal. The tennis superstar has yet to win a title at the Summer Games in his career. Accordingly, he becomes emotional after his semifinal win against Lorenzo Musetti. A furious outburst paves the way.
After Lorenzo Musetti hit the ball into the net after Novak Djokovic used his third match point, the Serbian tennis star took a moment to himself. He lay down on the red clay of Roland Garros. There, the 37-year-old aims to achieve greatness on Sunday. He wants to crown his illustrious career with an Olympic victory, a title that has eluded him so far. He will then face the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic won the emotional semifinal 6:4 and 6:2.
What immense pressure must the Serb have been under? He repeatedly cursed and fumed over minor mistakes or when Musetti hit a ball past his ears. The rivals were largely on par in the first set. Only after 63 minutes did Djokovic take the lead. Musetti forced the Serb, who had beaten Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals the day before, to long runs. Only in the crucial phase did Djokovic increase the pressure, and it paid off. In the second set, Musetti couldn't maintain his level.
Yet, the Serb temporarily lost his composure. Mid-game, he was warned for his cursing. Shortly after, he raged against his box, seeking advice to stabilize his game. The crowd booed the superstar repeatedly. But the outburst helped, and Djokovic didn't give his opponent another game.
In the end, he pulled himself out of the rut, finding it easier against the increasingly weakened Italian. After using the match point and receiving his opponent's congratulations, Djokovic broke down in tears on the court, releasing all the tension. He is now just one step away from his perhaps last great goal. Waiting for him is Alcaraz, the second Spanish giant, who should be tough to beat in his current form after his merciless 6:1, 6:1 win against the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Djokovic had already defeated the first Spanish giant in the second round. Against Rafael Nadal, the king of Roland Garros, he celebrated a phenomenal victory that was a worthy dismantling of his eternal rival. With an Olympic victory, Djokovic would become the second player after Andre Agassi to achieve all major individual successes: number one in the world rankings, victories at the four Grand Slam tournaments, victory at the ATP Finals, and gold at the Olympics. Roger Federer won Olympic gold only in doubles, Nadal never won the ATP Finals.
Despite his impressive performance, Djokovic's frustration was evident throughout the match. His words, "He's not a good player," were heard following a close call, highlighting the intense pressure he was under.
Even after securing his semifinal victory, Djokovic admitted that he wasn't entirely satisfied with his performance, stating, "I know I can play better, but I'll take this win and focus on the finals."
