“It’s going to be difficult, but it’s going to be special,” is what Carlos Alcaraz acknowledged soon after moving past the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics. The Spaniard didn’t just win a trail of matches but also etched his name in the history books by becoming the youngest player to reach the Olympic finals since 1988. However, this achievement seems to have given him high levels of confidence, making him drop a verbal challenge against Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz moved closer to making history by reaching the final at the Paris Olympics after a remarkable 6-1, 6-1 win over Felix Auger-Aliassime. The young Spaniard, who recently added another title at Roland Garros, showcased high levels of dominance this season, especially on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Soon after making it to the finals in Paris, Alcaraz dropped a major challenge against his probable opponent Novak Djokovic. “It’s going to be a really special moment for me, in my life, in my career, so I’m going to try and enjoy this moment,” Alcaraz said. Extending positive vibes to his countrymen, he confidently added, “To the Spaniards who watch me on TV, tell them I am going to put on a show in the final and that I am going to give them what they want: the gold.”

The other semi-final is set to be played between Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti. According to recent stats, the Serb is highly likely to advance. Despite his numerous titles, he is still searching for an Olympic gold and the recent defeat against Alcaraz during the Wimbledon finals poses a tough challenge against him.

Alcaraz’s statement suggests that he is ready for a tough battle against the tennis great. “It’s going to be difficult, but it’s going to be special… I will try to be focused on myself and try not to hear all this, all the fans, all the people that say ‘I’m going to win.’ I just want to give 100 percent my best tennis and hopefully I reach my goal to get the gold,” Alcaraz said, acknowledging the intensity but still ready to go for it.

As both players move ahead with the aim of gold in their eyes, fans are now looking forward to witnessing one of the most intense showdowns in tennis history.

When Novak Djokovic admitted his inferiority against Carlos Alcaraz

Former World No.1 Novak Djokovic couldn’t deny admitting that Carlos Alcaraz completely took him down in the Wimbledon 2024 men’s singles final. The Serb faced a tough 2-6, 2-6, 6-7 (4-7) defeat against Alcaraz in the final on Sunday, July 14. He looked confused and was also seen struggling at many points during the match.

When it came to revealing his thoughts about the defeat, Djokovic acknowledged Alcaraz’s dominance, saying, “The way I felt on the court today against him, I was inferior on the court. He was a better player. That’s it. He played every single shot better than I did. I don’t think I could’ve done much more… he wasn’t allowing me to have free points on my serve.”

The Serb also praised the young Spaniard for the technical details during the match in which Alcaraz won 84 percent of his first serve points and 61 percent of his second. “He played with a lot of variety. I’ve never seen him serve that way. 136. I’ve never seen him serve that fast. He must’ve had a really good serving practice day yesterday. He really outplayed me… he was better than me in every aspect of the game,” he added.

The upcoming final in Paris could be a golden opportunity for Djokovic to not only complete his revenge but also win his first-ever gold medal. While there’s one more step to be covered before making it to the finals, it still remains to be seen how he performs.