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Andy Roddick's biggest heartbreak—Does it reveal the true emotional toll of professional tennis?

Seeing Carlos Alcaraz lose a final was a bitter pill to swallow, but watching him cry in front of the cameras truly hit home. It was the Olympic final, where he faced defeat against Novak Djokovic, which has happened before. In the Grand Slam finals, but this time emotions were different. Recently, even Andy Roddick explained why this heartbreak was the worst of Alcaraz’s career.

Being the youngest competitor in the men’s Olympic final in more than a century is an amazing accomplishment for Alcaraz, and taking home the silver medal is a noteworthy feat. Still, it is painful to let your country down when you have the opportunity to achieve greatness. The Spaniard broke down in tears in front of the world during a post-match interview, demonstrating the emotional gravity of the situation.

Looking into the 21-year-old tennis player’s eyes full of tears, Roddick clarified in his recent podcast, “Served with Andy Roddick,” that Carlos Alcaraz’s anguish at the Olympics was the worst of his career, pointing out that the emotional toll of this setback far beyond the disappointment of losing in the Grand Slam final. Alcaraz won’t have the chance to make amends right away because the Olympics only happen once every four years, unlike the yearly opportunity to contend for a Slam title.

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He stated, “I thought Carlos was always classy he’s creating quite quite the off-court Legacy for himself as well, I love that he was emotional afterward you could see what it meant to him even after the summer that he’s had right that’s what makes the Olympics a little bit different. I don’t think Carlos has that reaction if he loses a US Open final because he knows he gets another shot he gets he gets to do it again and he’s already done it.”

via Reuters

Not only that, but after the match, Alcaraz explained why he was brought to tears and how he will eventually hold his head high. Despite the disappointment, the Spaniard was upbeat about the future, noting that, at just 21, he will probably have more chances to fight for gold in the years to come.

The 21-year-old tennis star said, “I’m a bit disappointed, but honestly, I’ll leave the court with my head really, really high. I gave everything I had. Fighting for Spain was everything to me. I’m proud with the way I played today.”

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On the other hand, even Novak Djokovic has something to say to the Spaniard, after he lifted a gold medal for his country after defeating Alcaraz on clay.

What’s your perspective on:

Andy Roddick's biggest heartbreak—Does it reveal the true emotional toll of professional tennis?

Have an interesting take?

Carlos Alcaraz reveals Novak Djokovic’s words post-Olympics final defeat

Carlos Alcaraz has opened up about the heartfelt words Novak Djokovic shared with him after their epic Olympic final clash. During his post-match press conference, Alcaraz recounted Djokovic’s encouraging seven-word comment at the net: “He told me that ‘I will win Olympic gold one day.’ We are going to work for that. I’m sure my time will come.”

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Meanwhile, the 37-year-old tennis legend experienced happy tears as he descended to his knees after winning a thrilling final. Overwhelmed with emotions, he then ran into the stands to join his family, crying out loud in a rare display of vulnerability. As Djokovic celebrated with his family and support staff, hundreds of spectators gave him raucous applause, revealing a seldom unseen emotional side to the renowned tennis player.

Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Alcaraz’s crying post-defeat? Do let us know in the comment section below.