PARIS: Novak Djokovic insists Carlos Alcaraz will be the 鈥渇avorite鈥� for Olympic gold on Sunday in the latest instalment of tennis鈥檚 generational power grab.
At 37, Djokovic would be the oldest Olympic tennis singles champion since the sport returned to the Games at Seoul in 1988.
At 21, Alcaraz would be the youngest of all time.
A win for the Serb would be his first gold medal at the fifth attempt and represent a significant upgrade on the bronze he won at Beijing in 2008.
Victory would also allow Djokovic to become only the fifth player to complete the Golden Slam of all four majors plus an Olympic title.
Only Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf can make similar boasts.
However, Djokovic goes into Sunday鈥檚 high-profile clash still bruised by being swept off court by Alcaraz in a one-sided Wimbledon final just three weeks ago.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 consider myself a favorite because Alcaraz has proven he鈥檚 the best player in the world,鈥� said Djokovic pointing to the Spaniard鈥檚 rare achievement of winning the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back.
鈥淗e won Roland Garros, he won Wimbledon and beat me in the final quite comfortably there.鈥�
Despite his caution, Djokovic is nothing if not fired up for his seventh career clash against the Spanish crowd-pleaser.
In his stormy semifinal win over Lorenzo Musetti, he was warned for swearing and screamed at his support team watching nervously on Court Philippe Chatrier.
He is acutely aware that Paris 2024 is his last chance to finally capture an elusive gold.
鈥淚 was thinking about all the semifinals that I lost in the Olympic Games and that鈥檚 why I was very tense on the court. I was very nervous, a lot of emotions.鈥�
Djokovic and Alcaraz have made the final without dropping a set while the Serb appeared to have no adverse reaction to aggravating his right knee injury during a last-eight win against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
He also believes he鈥檚 a 鈥渄ifferent player鈥� to the one beaten so badly at Wimbledon.
鈥淚n the way I move, the way I鈥檓 striking the ball,鈥� explained Djokovic, who has won three of his 24 Grand Slam titles in Paris.
鈥淣ot to take anything away from him winning the Wimbledon final, he was dominating and deservedly a winner, but I feel more confident about myself and my chances in the final.鈥�
The two men have met twice on clay with Alcaraz on top in their first meeting in Madrid in 2022 while Djokovic prevailed in the French Open semifinals last year.
Alcaraz suffered body cramps in that loss, a factor he attributed to the stress of facing Djokovic.
Alcaraz is the fourth Spanish man to reach the Olympic men鈥檚 final after Jordi Arrese at Barcelona in 1992, Sergi Bruguera in Atlanta four years later and Nadal who won gold at Beijing in 2008.
鈥淚 have imagined (winning gold),鈥� admitted Alcaraz. 鈥淚 have thought about it and visualized it.
鈥淚t is something that boosts my mood, that gives me energy to keep going forward, keep learning, and give all my best every day.鈥�
Victory on Sunday would allow Alcaraz to join Graf and Nadal as the only players to win the French Open, Wimbledon and Olympic gold in the same year.
鈥淲e are one step closer. I would love to add my name next to Steffi鈥檚 and Rafa鈥檚, two legends from sport in general.
鈥淏ut I will try not to think of every stat, the things I could achieve ... I will try to avoid all that, and keep improving, and give my best, and make Spanish people proud.鈥�