Paris Olympics: Alcaraz and Djokovic set for blockbuster final

Spaniard wins 6-1, 6-1 against Auger-Aliassime in semi-finals while Serbian beats Musetti 6-4, 6-2

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates after winning his Olympic singles semi-final 6-1, 6-1 against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada at Roland Garros on August 2, 2024. Getty Images

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime. Getty Images

Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in action against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. EPA

Carlos Alcaraz plays a backhand against Felix Auger-Aliassime. Getty Images

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns to Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime. AFP

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts after winning a point against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada. AP

Carlos Alcaraz serves against Felix Auger-Aliassime. Getty Images

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Carlos Alcaraz became the second youngest man to reach the Olympic Games men's tennis final on Friday when he thrashed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Alcaraz, 21, swept to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over the Canadian in just 75 minutes and will meet Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final after the top-seeded Serb overcame a knee injury to beat Italy's Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-2 in the second semi-final.

“It has been an objective since the start of the year to try to win the gold medal and now we have one match left to try to get it done,” said Alcaraz, who become the youngest player to reach the gold medal match since tennis returned to the Olympics at Seoul in 1988.

“I want to have fun in the final and do the business.”

Spanish star Alcaraz, playing on the same Roland Garros court where he won the French Open in June, broke the 19th-ranked Auger-Aliassime three times in the first set, racing away with six consecutive games.

Alcaraz broke again in the fourth and sixth games of the second set on his way to claiming a fourth successive win over the Canadian having lost the first three of the pair's series.

“It was a very complete performance and I played at a very high level from start to finish,” said Alcaraz.

“I had very good feelings and sensations, I'm so happy.”

He added: “The final is very important for me and the Spanish people but I try not to think about how important it is and will focus on the match.”

Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is the fourth Spanish man to reach the Olympic men's final after Jordi Arrese at Barcelona in 1992, Sergi Bruguera in Atlanta four years later and Rafael Nadal who won gold at Beijing in 2008.

He now has the chance to become the youngest men's champion since tennis returned to the Olympics at Seoul in 1988.

Sunday's title match at Roland Garros will be the pair's seventh meeting and follows on the heels of Alcaraz defeating the Serbian star in the Wimbledon final three weeks ago.

“It was a tense match, there were a lot of expectations and stress in the match. I want the gold but this is already a huge result,” said Djokovic.

“I had lost four semi-finals so I wanted to get over this hurdle.”

The 37-year-old Djokovic, who only has a bronze medal from 2008 in Beijing to show for his Olympic efforts, showed no sign of the right knee injury he aggravated in Thursday's quarter-final win over Stefanos Tsitsipas.

He said Alcaraz, who won the French Open at Roland Garros in June, will be the favourite on Sunday.

“It will be the biggest challenge, facing him on this court,” he said. “He beat me at Wimbledon. But these are different circumstances and I feel I am a better player than at Wimbledon.

“I will come out and play my best tennis. I have nothing to lose so I will just go for it.”