Out of all of Novak Djokovic's staggering successes at the top of the tennis game, arguably none triggered the same level emotional outpouring from Serbia's favourite son as Sunday's Paris 2024 Olympics men's singles final.
The 37-year-old had been on a personal mission for Games stardom for over 16 years since nabbing the final place on the podium at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, since when a coveted gold perpetually eluded him.
London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 were excruciating near-misses for Djokovic, who just missed out on a medal on both occasions, but the 24-time major winner exorcised all of his Olympic demons in a two-hour and 50-minute marathon on Sunday.
Reuniting with second seed Carlos Alcaraz just a few weeks on from his thrashing at the hands of the Spaniard in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic prevailed 7-6[3] 7-6[2] to achieve a lifelong dream, and nobody could knock him for exploding in elation after firing a brilliant forehand winner past Alcaraz on match point.
From the customary collapse onto the clay to visibly shaking and letting out roar after roar, Djokovic's opened-mouthed expression represented years and years of Olympics anguish for the 37-year-old, who has added a few more pages of history to his ever-growing list.
As well as becoming the first Serbian to win an Olympic gold medal in tennis, doing so without dropping a set to boot, Djokovic is the oldest man or woman to win a singles title since the sport was reinstated to the Games in 1988.
Just look what this means to Novak Djokovic. 🥹
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 4, 2024
He's finally got his Olympic gold medal. #BBCOlympics #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/NhL7z4wY5U
The 24-time major winner is also the first man to ever complete a career Big Titles sweep, having won Olympic gold, all four Grand Slams, the year-end finals and all Masters Championships.
Furthermore, Djokovic has joined Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal in the Career Golden Slam club (all four majors and the Olympics), while only the former had ever achieved the Career Super Slam (all four majors, Olympics and year-end Finals) in the men's game before Sunday's final.
How did Djokovic win his Olympic gold?
Taking the match by the scruff of the neck early doors, Djokovic missed four break points across Alcaraz's opening two service games, before having to fight back from 40-0 down on serve to hold for a 3-2 lead.
Exceptional defending was required from the Serbian in the ninth game, where he brilliantly beat away five Alcaraz break opportunities to hold for 5-4, and despite missing one set point, he was unflappable in the tie-breaker.
The action could hardly have been more tense in the second set, where both men managed just one break point between them - one for Djokovic that Alcaraz beat away - and the Serbian's mental fortitude was on full display in the crunch tie-breaker.
After building up a seemingly unassailable 6-2 lead, Djokovic powered a ferocious forehand into the corner beyond Alcaraz's reach, his 15th winner of the day and one that completed the Serbian's glittering set.
Ben Knapton
