Djokovic completes trophy collection with Olympic gold at Paris

Novak Djokovic claimed gold in the Olympic men's singles tournament, defeating second seed Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2), while Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini defeated Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider 2-6, 6-2, 10-7 in the women's doubles to claim gold, reported Xinhua.

The men's final, played at the absolute highest standard, was an immensely tight affair in which neither man was able to break the other and both sets were decided by tiebreaks.

The atmosphere inside Court Philippe-Chatrier was electric as fans flocked to see the culmination of the collision course both men had been on throughout the tournament.

Djokovic, with three wins to Alcaraz's two in head-to-head battles, arrived on court with his usual dedicated support from his passionate traveling Serbian fans.

The Serbian number one seed immediately put Alcaraz under pressure. After cruising through the opening game, Djokovic took the young Spaniard to deuce in the second game. After a near five-minute fight for the point, the Spaniard finally held his serve.

The reality of Alcaraz's early game was equal parts sheer brilliance, with a series of effortless drop shots and precise winners, and frustrating errors, committing numerous unforced errors to give Djokovic free points.

On the other hand, Djokovic was relentless, machine-like, taking Alcaraz to deuce again in the fourth game before Alcaraz was once again forced to fight to hold his serve.

Yet, in the fifth game, it was Alcaraz's turn to take Djokovic into deuce on his serve as both men refused to give an inch. The battle between the relentless Djokovic and Alcaraz's pure talent and scrappiness was evident.

In the ninth game, Alcaraz missed five separate break points before Djokovic had to show some Alcaraz-like aggressiveness to secure his serve after an incredible 18 points in the game.

Now the match had become a breathless fight over every point as each man looked to dominate from the baseline and at the net.

Despite half chances and minor opportunities, neither was able to find the gap in the other's defense as the first set went to a tiebreak, which Djokovic won 7-3.

Matching each other early in the tiebreak, Djokovic pulled away after Alcaraz hit three unforced errors before the Serb pounced on the set point to drop the ball out of Alcaraz's reach.

The fight continued in the second set with an unrelenting battle over each point. The third game once again saw Alcaraz fight from break point to save his serve, but both men maintained their service games and nullified the other's attacks.

As the level of tennis continued to rise, so did the volume inside Court Philippe-Chatrier as fans roared on their men.

Equal to each other, the second set once again went to a tiebreak, with the gold medal on the line for Djokovic and a third set decider for Alcaraz. The tiebreak opened in Djokovic's favor with a threaded diagonal forehand winner as the bar continued to be set higher and higher. Another, even tighter forehand winner for the fifth point shifted the momentum straight in his favor.

After another forehand winner down the line, a couple of Alcaraz unforced errors, and one final forehand ground stroke winner, Djokovic won his first Olympic gold.

Following the win, Djokovic climbed into the crowd to hug his family and team before a wave of emotion crashed over him. The win represents Serbia's second gold medal at the Olympics.

The final day of tennis action also saw the medals for the women's doubles decided.

In the last match of the tournament, the women's doubles pair of Errani and Paolini came from behind to win gold, Italy's second medal following the bronze in the men's singles.

After a slow start, the Italian pair steadily picked up their form and improved throughout the match, outlasting Andreeva and Shnaider in the third set tiebreak.

Spain's Cristina Bucsa and Sara Sorribes Tormo claimed bronze in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, against Czechia's Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova.