Novak Djokovic will take on Carlos Alcaraz in blockbuster Olympic final

Novak Djokovic will meet Carlos Alcaraz in a blockbuster gold medal match after lastly breaking his Olympic semi-final hoodoo.

Remarkably, this was the fourth time Djokovic had made it this far on the Video games and the primary time he has come out on prime, with a bronze in 2008 his solely earlier medal.

Now he’s assured to raised it after defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-2, organising a rematch of the Wimbledon ultimate, the place he was properly overwhelmed by Alcaraz.

Djokovic left Roland Garros on Thursday night very involved that he had sustained extra harm to his proper knee, which has been strapped up since he underwent surgical procedure following a meniscus tear on the French Open.

He moved properly right here however the match was not with out drama, Djokovic given two time violations and a warning for an audible obscenity early within the second set.

The Serbian, who had been taken to 5 units each occasions he had beforehand performed Musetti on the Parisian clay, screamed at his field when he twice went a break down however he recovered impressively, ending with a run of 5 video games in a row.

When Musetti netted a ultimate backhand, Djokovic lay on his again on the clay in delight and reduction at having lastly cleared the hurdle.

Alcaraz couldn’t have had a extra easy outing earlier, brushing apart Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The 21-year-old is seeking to cap an unbelievable summer season by including gold to his French Open and Wimbledon titles, and he wanted simply 75 minutes to ease to a 6-1 6-1 victory in opposition to the Canadian.

“It means quite a bit to me being in a ultimate on the Olympic Video games and giving myself the prospect to combat for a gold medal for my nation,” stated Alcaraz. “It’s a particular second for me in my profession and my life.

“I’m going to attempt to take pleasure in this second however I’m actually targeted on enjoying within the ultimate on Sunday. I’m actually glad to convey a medal to my nation and, hopefully, it’s going to be the gold one.”

Within the ladies’s singles, Iga Swiatek picked herself up following the frustration of lacking out on gold to say the bronze medal.

The world primary suffered her first defeat in 26 matches at Roland Garros on Thursday to China’s Zheng Qinwen and broke down in tears afterwards throughout a TV interview.

However she ensured she is going to go dwelling with one thing after easing to a 6-2 6-1 victory over Slovakia’s Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova.

Swiatek, whose father was an Olympic rower, stated: “I feel, had I not performed immediately, I might be crying for per week. I cried for about six hours yesterday, so it was actually robust.

“It’s sport, it’s tennis, often I’m good to know it’s only one a part of my life, however this time it was like somebody actually broke my coronary heart. It’s loopy.

“Perhaps as a result of I’m world primary for such a very long time and received so many tournaments, I felt like I can deal with every little thing. However this match confirmed me it isn’t the case.”

There may be assured to be a medal for 2 younger Russian athletes within the ladies’s doubles after Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider received their semi-final. They are going to tackle Italian duo Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini for the gold medal.