Although Carlos Alcaraz hasn’t won an Olympic gold medal since losing to Novak Djokovic over a month ago, former French Open winner Adriano Panatta believes the Spaniard will be affected by that event for a very long time.
Before the Olympics, Alcaraz was the world’s most productive player. In addition to winning Wimbledon and the French Open, he defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets at SW19.
Roland-Garros hosted the tennis competition during the Olympics, where Alcaraz won the French Open. For many fans and observers, that made the 21-year-old a clear favorite.
Alcaraz handled such expectations admirably throughout his semifinal victories. Going into the final, his overall level was higher than Djokovic’s, and it appeared that the Serbian would have his work cut out for him to win the gold that had escaped him for a number of years.
Nevertheless, in a very close match, Djokovic defeated Alcaraz 7-6, 7-6 thanks to an amazing serving display. Alcaraz had opportunities all through the fight, but in crucial situations, his opponent—a 37-year-old—showed greater strength.
The Spaniard’s feelings were instantly visible following that terrible defeat. In an interview with his countryman Alex Corretja, Alcaraz broke down in tears, indicating that it was the most difficult time in his professional life.
Since then, his form has drastically declined. At the Cincinnati Open, Alcaraz was defeated by Gael Monfils in three sets. The four-time Grand Slam champion surprised the stadium’s spectators by shattering his racket during that unexpected loss.
At the US Open, there was an even greater surprise. The former world No. 1 lost in straight sets to Botic van de Zandschulp, causing one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slam history. Alcaraz gave one of his poorest performances to date in his professional life.
Some question whether Alcaraz’s recent low performances, by his standards, are the result of ongoing mental baggage stemming from his Olympic setback. He has not appeared to be as focused or as energetic on the court since losing to Djokovic in Paris.
Panatta, the 1976 French Open champion, is among those who think that Alcaraz’s loss in the Olympic gold medal match is having an effect on him. The Italian really stated to Domenica Sportiva that he could be negatively impacted by this setback for a long time.
“I think Carlos will be stuck with the loss to Djokovic for a long time. In tennis you are only on the court, in football you can also not play if you are not well, or there are friends who pull you up.”
“This thing marked him, as it marked Djokovic from the nervous point of view. He made a superhuman effort to win that final and will need time to recover.”