"Such a talented young man" - Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena applauds Carlos Alcaraz after Paris Olympics 2024 final battle

Novak Djokovic's wife, Jelena, recently applauded Carlos Alcaraz following his defeat to the Serb in the final of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Djokovic etched his name in the history books by claiming the one accolade that had eluded him throughout his career: an Olympic gold medal.

The 37-year-old defeated Alcaraz 7-6(3), 7-6(2) to complete the Golden Slam on Court Philippe Chatrier on Sunday, August 4. Still caught up in the euphoria of the win, Jelena Djokovic shared a video on her Instagram story featuring the 24-time Grand Slam champion speaking Spanish to the press.

In the caption, she complimented Alcaraz for his hard work and mentioned that the 21-year-old and his team have an extraordinary path ahead.

“Carlos with his team have extraordinary path ahead... such a talented, hard working and full of energy &enthusiasm young man... so much respect @carlitosalcarazz," she wrote.

Jelena's Instagram story

Before defeating Alcaraz in the final, the Serb had an exciting journey to the podium. He began by beating Australia's Matthew Ebden in the first round, then won his 60th meeting against Rafael Nadal in the second round.

The Serb defeated Germany's Dominik Koepfer in the third round and beat Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals. This win set up a semifinal match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, which he also won.

At the previous Olympic Games, the closest he came to winning a gold medal was when he secured the bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by defeating James Blake of the United States.

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Novak Djokovic on how difficult it was to defeat Carlos Alcaraz - “He keeps on asking me to play my best tennis”

Day Fourteen: The Championships - Wimbledon 2023 - Source: Getty

After Djokovic's victory over Alcaraz, he described how challenging and surreal it felt to defeat the four-time Grand Slam champion. He admitted that he only fully believed in his chances of winning right up until the final shot, as the Spaniard continuously challenged him to perform at his best.

"We almost played three hours for two sets. It was an incredible battle, incredible fight," the Serb said. "When the last shot went past him, that was the only moment I actually thought I could win the match. I mean I believed that I could win, but to actually win it, because he keeps on coming back."

"He keeps on asking me to play my best tennis. I don’t know what to say. I’m still in shock, honestly. I put my heart, my soul, my body, my family, my everything on the line to win Olympic gold at age 37. I finally did it," he added.

This was the second meeting between Djokovic and Alcaraz this year, following their first clash in the final of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, which the Spaniard won. Djokovic now holds a 4-3 lead in their head-to-head record.