PARIS — Overcome with emotion and tears, Carlos Alcaraz took a moment to gather himself following his defeat to Novak Djokovic in the men’s tennis singles final at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
Alcaraz settled for silver after a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) loss to Djokovic at Court Philippe Chartier, saying the pressure of playing for his country got to him.
“I think I put more pressure on myself because I was playing for Spain, for the Spaniards,” Alcaraz said. “I felt that I let the Spanish people down by not winning the gold.”
At 21, Alcaraz expressed that he had never experienced such pressure in the four Grand Slam finals he had played and won in his career. “It was a different kind of pressure,” Alcaraz remarked. “The whole of Spain was rooting for me to win the gold, and I too was eager to win it.”
He said the extra pressure cost him especially in the decisive moments of the game.
“In those difficult moments I usually raise my level, but I wasn’t able to do that today,” Alcaraz said. “Probably I felt the pressure in those situations. You play four Grand Slams every year, the Olympics is only once every four years.”
He said there was still reason for him to be proud after “knowing that I gave everything.”
“Obviously this week, this tournament has been really special for me,” Alcaraz said. “I’m going to take it for the rest of my life, for the rest of my career, for sure. Playing with Rafa, getting my first Olympics medal — hopefully not the last one — it’s been a special one.
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