Rafael Nadal urged Carlos Alcaraz to reflect on his success and treasure his Olympic silver medal, despite a gut-wrenching defeat to Novak Djokovic on Sunday.
Djokovic overcame Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) at Roland-Garros, securing the top prize at the Games on the clay courts in Paris.
The 21-year-old, who was denied the Olympic title to go with this year's French Open and Wimbledon crowns, was reduced to tears at the conclusion in the French capital.
Yet Nadal, who Alcaraz partnered in the men's doubles competition at the Olympics this year, says his fellow Spaniard will soon understand the feats of his achievement.
"Carlos, although I know that today is a difficult day, value a medal that is very important for the entire country and you will see, over time, that it is for you too," Nadal wrote on social media platform X.
"Thank you for this incredible week and for the medal that you [gave] to Spanish sport."
Djokovic is only the second player in the Open Era to win all four grand slams, the gold medal at the Olympics and the ATP Tour Finals, along with Andre Agassi.
At 37 years and 74 days, the Serbian is also the oldest player to secure gold in either the men's or women's singles at the Olympics, since the sport returned as an event at the 1988 Games.
This victory also somewhat exacted revenge after losing out to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final last month, while sealing a long-awaited dream of gold at his fifth Games for Serbia.
Tommy Fleetwood put disappointment to one side after achieving an Olympics dream with a silver medal in Paris.
Great Britain's Fleetwood finished 18-under at the Games, one shot short of Scottie Scheffler, who secured the United States' second straight gold in this event.
Fleetwood fell out of the lead with a bogey from the rough on the 17th but got up and down for par on the final hole for a 66 to seal second place, ahead of Japan's bronze medallist Hideki Matsuyama.
"There's part of me that's disappointed, of course, but at the same time I never dreamt I would be an Olympic medallist," Fleetwood said after the conclusion on Sunday.
"I haven't been in the mix that much recently and being back there, playing well and feeling how that felt again, I enjoyed it so much and I'm unbelievably proud to be an Olympic medallist.
"It feels unbelievably special and I know I didn't win gold, a very good golfer did, but standing on that podium with a medal was one of the most amazing moments I've had as a golfer.
"I'll remember those times for the rest of my life."
Jon Rahm had led for large parts, with four shots over Fleetwood when he stepped up to the tee on the 11th, only for the Spaniard to collapse in remarkable fashion.
Scheffler charged to the front with four straight birdies down the stretch, making an 18-foot birdie putt to take the lead for the first time all day with just one hole remaining.
In doing so, victorious world number one Scheffler set an Olympic record for 72 holes with his 19-under 265 at Le Golf National.
St Lucia’s Luc Chevrier has made significant strides in the men’s dinghy sailing event, climbing to 29th overall after a series of strong performances in races five through eight. Chevrier's consistent sailing has been key to his rise in the standings. In race five, he finished 11th, demonstrating his ability to compete with the world’s best sailors. Despite a challenging sixth race where he finished 28th, he maintained his focus and placed 27th in race seven. He continued his steady performance by finishing 29th in race eight.
Meanwhile, Aruba's Just Aanholt and the British Virgin Islands' Thad Lettsome experienced varied outcomes. Aanholt is now ranked 33rd overall, with a ninth-place finish in race six being a standout performance. He also placed 34th in race five, 23rd in race seven, and 36th in race eight. Lettsome is currently 38th overall, with consistent finishes of 38th in races five and six, 26th in race seven, and 37th in race eight.
As the competition progresses, the determination and skill of these Caribbean sailors are evident. They will look to improve their standings in race nine, scheduled for August 5.
Bermuda’s Adriana Penruddocke and Cayman Islands’ Charlotte Webster are navigating through a competitive field in the women’s dinghy sailing event, with recent performances highlighting both their successes and challenges.
Penruddocke is currently ranked 35th overall with 228 points, while Webster is in 41st place with 312 points. Their performances in races four through eight reflect their resilience and determination.
In race four, Penruddocke and Webster finished 35th and 41st, respectively. Penruddocke showed significant improvement in race five, securing an impressive 15th place, while Webster finished 36th. Race six saw Penruddocke placing 23rd and Webster 40th. However, Penruddocke faced a setback in race seven, being disqualified for a false start under the black flag rule, while Webster finished 32nd.
Race eight proved challenging for both sailors, with Penruddocke finishing 36th and Webster 43rd. Despite these hurdles, Penruddocke and Webster remain focused on advancing in the competition. Their next opportunity to climb the standings will be in race nine, scheduled for August 5, where they aim to showcase their skills and perseverance on the international stage.
Italy's Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani came from behind against Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider to snatch Olympic gold in the women's doubles.
Having lost the doubles final at the French Open in June, Paolini and Errani dug deep to win 2-6 6-1 10-7 on Court Philippe-Chatrier in one hour and 25 minutes to earn Italy's first Games gold medal in tennis.
Russia-born pair Andreeva and Shnaider – competing for the Individual Neutral Athletes – made a perfect start, with a three-game winning run in the first half putting them out of the Italians' reach.
Paolini and Errani successfully defended two break points to make it 4-2 and end that run, but they lost their serve to love in the final game to fall behind.
However, the Italian pair rallied brilliantly in the second set, earning a break in the first game to set the tone.
Andreeva and Shnaider managed to claw a game back to make it 2-1, but their opponents quickly shut down any hopes of a comeback.
The Italians won each of the next four games, holding their nerve at the end to get a third break of the set and force a tie-break.
Paolini and Errani remained in control for the decider, earning two more breaks as they stormed to a historic gold medal.
Data Debrief: Italians get the job done with historic gold
After coming agonisingly close at the French Open two months ago, Paolini and Errani finally got their hands on a big win.
Not only was it the first-ever gold medal for Italy in any of the tennis events at the Olympics, but the first medal of any colour for Italian women.
Errani has also completed the career golden slam in women's doubles, having won all four major titles in the paired grand slam competitions between 2012 and 2014, alongside Roberta Vinci.
Aruba’s Ethan Westera will not advance to the men's windsurfing semifinals after finishing fifth in the quarterfinals at the Marseille Marina, securing an overall eighth-place ranking in the event.
Westera began the race in third place but dropped to fifth by the third mark, where he ultimately finished. Despite this, Westera's performance in the competition has been impressive. He entered the quarterfinals ranked ninth in the series, with 120 total points and 90 net points.
His standout moment came in race 12, where he finished second, demonstrating his exceptional windsurfing skills. In race one, Westera finished 11th, demonstrating his athleticism from the start. In races two and three, he finished 12th, continuing his consistent streak.
Despite a big setback in race four, where he finished 17th, he rebounded in race five, rising to 10th. He finished 13th in race six.
Westera's performance began to change in race seven when he finished eighth propelling him into the top 10. Despite falling to 12th in race eight, he soon recovered by capturing third in race nine. He continued to perform well in consecutive races, placing sixth in race 10, eighth in race 11, and seventh in race 13.
The 26-year-old won the 2023 Pan American Games iQFoil silver medal, completing his Olympic qualifying. He also won the silver medal at the 2015 IFCA Funboard Slalom Youth & Masters World Championships and gold in the 2012 IFCA Funboard Juniors Slalom World Championship.
With a good season behind him, Westera has demonstrated his athletic abilities and proudly represented Aruba on the international scene making his mark at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In a stunning turn of events and devastating news for the Bahamas, 2020 Tokyo Olympics 400m champion Steven Gardiner will not start in the 400m for the Bahamas at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where some of the Caribbean’s best athletes have suffered injuries.
Gardiner missed the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon with a foot injury and suffered a injury in the semi-finals of the 2023 World Championships in Budapest last year. He was considered the best shot at a medal for the Bahamas at these Olympic Games as Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the islands’ other 400m star, is not in the best of health this season having withdrawn from the Bahamas national championships last month.
News of Gardiner’s withdrawal comes on the heels of withdrawals of Jamaican star sprinters Shericka Jackson from both the 100m and 200m and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from the semi-finals of the 100m dash on Saturday.
Cindy Ngamba etched her name in history after guaranteeing a first medal for the Refugee Olympic Team in Paris.
The Britain-based boxer overcame French hope Davina Michel by a unanimous points decision to reach the 75kg semi-finals on Sunday.
With no third-place bouts at the Games, Ngamba is set for at least a bronze medal even if she loses to Panama's Atheyna Bylon on Thursday.
Having led the Refugee Team as the flagbearer at the opening ceremony just over a week ago, Ngamba secured another piece of history here – though the Cameroon-born fighter is intent on not finishing just yet.
"It means the world to me, to be the first ever refugee to win a medal," Ngamba said.
"I'm just a human, just like any other refugee, athlete and refugee all around the world. But I hope I can change the medal in my next fight.
"I was fighting a very tough opponent today. A lot of people were not cheering for me. But I listened to my team, I listened to my coaches and I listened to myself.
"I stuck to the tactics and I stayed calm and composed. I'm happy that I got the job done. Hopefully, in the next one, I will also get the job done. No, not hopefully. I will get it done."
Ngamba became the first refugee athlete to make the Olympics boxing tournament in May, and the first in any sport to earn a place in the Games by qualification rather than selection.
The 25-year-old was born in Cameroon but moved to England in 2009, though is unable to return to her homeland because she is homosexual, which remains a criminal offence in the country.
Team GB have supported her citizenship application but to no avail, leading Ngamba to represent the International Olympic Committee's refugee team in the French capital.
United States head coach Steve Kerr is expecting a tough game against underdogs Brazil when the sides meet in the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games on Monday.
The USA qualified for the knockout round as the top seed after staying perfect in the group stage, rounding it off with a 104-83 victory over Puerto Rico on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Brazil are the underdogs in the competition and squeezed into the last eight thanks to a tiebreaker and some excellent 3-point shooting to see off Japan in what turned out to be the deciding game.
While the USA are on the opposite side of the draw to the powerhouses of Canada, France and Germany, Kerr is not letting the four-time reigning Olympic champions rest on their laurels.
"They're very physical. I think they're the number one offensive rebounding team in the tournament," Kerr said.
"They've got a lot of really good shooters, and they just play hard. They compete play after play, so we'll have to be ready for their physicality and their shooting, and we need to be on edge and ready for them because they're not going to back down.
"In the spirit of the Olympics and the marathon/sprint metaphor that I've used, now that we've been through it, I would call it the 800 meters," Kerr said. "We're running really hard, but it's not the 100 meters."
In the opening three games, Brazil had six different players averaging eight points or more in the Olympics, while the team averaged 13 offensive rebounds per game.
The USA have already given up 16 more offensive rebounds than they have got, one of the few weak spots in the team challenging for a fifth consecutive gold medal.
Kerr's team face Brazil on Monday, with a place in the semi-finals against either Serbia or Australia at stake.
Scottie Scheffler carded a record-tying nine-under 62 to win gold at the Paris Olympics, earning the United States' second consecutive golf title.
Scheffler, who started four shots behind co-leaders Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele heading into the final round, shot 29 on the back nine to confirm the triumph.
But the world number one was pushed all the way by Great Britain's Tommy Fleetwood, who shot 66 to finish one shot behind to claim a silver medal at Le Golf National.
Fleetwood had the opportunity to force a play-off heading into the 18th but drifted his approach long and left, sending his chip close to save par under pressure.
Hideki Matsuyama had been at the top of the leaderboard for much of the weekend and took home the bronze medal.
Matsuyama made amends for his play-off defeat at his home Games in Tokyo three years ago, shooting 65 to finish 17 under and claim the final podium place.
Scottie Scheffler brings home the gold
The United States is victorious once again @OlympicGolf! pic.twitter.com/hLIq0D13Xr
Home favourite Victor Perez shot an inspired eight-under 63 to finish a shot outside the top three, while Rahm bogeyed the last to finish 15 under, dropping out of contention after struggling on the back nine.
Rory McIlroy finished joint-fifth alongside the Spaniard, with Schauffele dropping to joint-ninth after enduring a difficult round, shooting two over.
Scottie Scheffler carded a record-tying nine-under 62 to win gold at the Paris Olympics, earning the United States' second consecutive golf title.
Scheffler, who started four shots behind co-leaders Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele heading into the final round, shot 29 on the back nine to confirm the triumph.
But the world number one was pushed all the way by Great Britain's Tommy Fleetwood, who shot 66 to finish one shot behind to claim a silver medal at Le Golf National.
Fleetwood had the opportunity to force a play-off heading into the 18th but drifted his approach long and left, sending his chip close to save par under pressure.
Hideki Matsuyama had been at the top of the leaderboard for much of the weekend and took home the bronze medal.
Matsuyama made amends for his play-off defeat at his home Games in Tokyo three years ago, shooting 65 to finish 17 under and claim the final podium place.
Scottie Scheffler brings home the gold
The United States is victorious once again @OlympicGolf! pic.twitter.com/hLIq0D13Xr
Home favourite Victor Perez shot an inspired eight-under 63 to finish a shot outside the top three, while Rahm bogeyed the last to finish 15 under, dropping out of contention after struggling on the back nine.
Rory McIlroy finished joint-fifth alongside the Spaniard, with Schauffele dropping to joint-ninth after enduring a difficult round, shooting two over.
Novak Djokovic cut an emotional figure after putting "everything on the line" to secure gold at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
The 24-time major champion overcame Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) at Roland-Garros, securing the top prize at the Games for the first time in his career.
Djokovic is only the second player in the Open Era to win all four grand slams, the gold medal at the Olympics and the ATP Tour Finals, along with Andre Agassi.
At 37 years and 74 days, the Serbian is also the oldest player to secure gold in either the men's or women's singles at the Olympics, since the sport returned as an event at the 1988 Games.
Having settled for bronze in Beijing 16 years ago, Djokovic could not believe he had finally sealed a long-awaited dream.
"We almost played three hours in two sets. It was an incredible battle," the 37-year-old said after avenging his Wimbledon final defeat to Alcaraz last month.
"I believed that I could win, but to actually win it; it's unbelievable. He keeps on coming back and keeps on asking me to play my best tennis.
"My first set I started well, I had chances, he had chances as well. It was probably fair to end both sets in a tiebreak. When it mattered I came up with big shots and big moments.
"I put my heart, my body, my soul, my family, my everything on the line here to win the Olympic gold at the age of 37.
"The pride to play for Serbia. Carlos and Rafa [Nadal] love to play for Spain, Andy [Murray] for Britain, Roger [Federer] for Switzerland. You just see the reactions when they win. It's special. It's different."
Alcaraz battled past Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, having also secured French Open glory at the same venue earlier this year.
However, a final stretch proved too far for the Spaniard.
"The truth is it was a very complicated game. Three hours of phenomenal fighting," a downbeat Alcaraz said.
"It's never easy. There were tough moments for me in the tiebreak and I just couldn't get my level up. It's very painful to lose today."
Novak Djokovic finally got his hands on an Olympic gold medal as he came through two tie-breaks to beat Carlos Alcaraz at Roland-Garros.
In a match that lasted almost three hours, the 24-time grand slam champion edged a thrilling contest 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) in the French capital.
In a repeat of their Wimbledon showdown last month, the pair traded blows in the opening games as they tried to gain the early advantage.
Alcaraz would be the first to blink, handing Djokovic three chances to break in the third game, but the Serb was unable to grasp that opportunity.
The 21-year-old would then miss three chances to take the lead himself in the following game as the gripping contest continued to ebb and flow on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
In the ninth game, Djokovic saved five break points, to gain the momentum heading into the first-set tie-break where he would emerge the victor.
The second set told a similar story to the first, with Alcaraz squandering a break of serve in the third game, with both holding their serves.
And as he did in the first, Djokovic showcased all of his experience, claiming the triumph with a powerful forehand.
Djokovic finally achieves the full set
Having claimed bronze at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Djokovic now has that gold medal that has proved elusive over the past 16 years.
The Serb showed in the first set his powers of recovery to save all eight of the break points he faced, finally getting one over his recent kryptonite on the court.
At 37 years and 74 days, Djokovic is the oldest player to secure a gold medal in either the men's or women's singles at the Olympics.
Djokovic's victory also saw him become the fourth player to defeat multiple grand slam champions on route to winning the gold medal in the men's singles at the Olympics, after Nicolas Massu (2004), Rafael Nadal (2008) and Andy Murray (2012).
He is now only the second player in the Open Era to have won all four grand slams, the gold medal at the Olympics and the ATP Tour Finals, along with Andre Agassi.
Alcaraz down, but certainly not out
For Alcaraz, it was yet another impressive showing, but even he was unable to stand in the way of Djokovic claiming the prize he craved the most.
Having levelled the second-set tie-break at 3-3, the Spaniard looked the favourite to go on and take it to a decider, but you can never count out a man who has 24 grand slam titles to his name.
Alcaraz missed the opportunity to become only the second player to defeat Djokovic in ATP-level event finals on grass and clay courts, with many hoping to see another battle between two of tennis' brightest stars in the future.
Despite the defeat, he is still the only player to claim multiple ATP top-five wins on each of clay, grass and hard court in consecutive years. John McEnroe (1984) is the only other player to achieve the feat in a single season.
England's opening batter Zak Crawley will miss the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka later this month after sustaining a fractured finger.
Crawley suffered the injury during England's encounter with the West Indies at Edgbaston last week, which sealed a 3-0 series triumph over their opponents.
The 26-year-old is aiming to return in time for England's Test tour to Pakistan in October.
Surrey's Dan Lawrence will open alongside Ben Duckett in Crawley's absence, as Essex middle-order batter Jordan Cox received his first call-up to the squad.
Ben Stokes deputised as Duckett's opening partner at Edgbaston, hitting a record-breaking 24-ball half-century, but Lawrence will take up the role against Sri Lanka.
England will also be without seam bowler Dillon Pennington, who picked up a hamstring injury while playing for Birmingham Phoenix during The Hundred competition.
Nottinghamshire team-mate Olly Stone replaces Pennington, returning to the Test squad for the first time since June 2021 and will be looking to add to his three Test caps.
Captained by Stokes, England will host Sri Lanka at Old Trafford for the first Test starting on August 21.
Day 4 of track and field at the 2024 Paris Olympics saw three Jamaican women advance to the semi-final round of the 400m hurdles. Shian Salmon, Rushell Clayton, and Janieve Russell all secured their spots in the next round, where they will face stiff competition primarily from their American rivals for places in the final set for Tuesday, August 6.
Salmon emerged as the fastest Jamaican qualifier, running a solid 53.95 seconds to finish second in her heat. The heat was won by gold medal contender Femke Bol, who clocked an impressive 53.38 seconds.
Clayton also made a strong impression, comfortably winning the opening heat with a time of 54.32 seconds. Clayton’s smooth and confident run positions her well for a possible place on the podium come Tuesday assuming she advances from the semi-finals.
Russell faced a bit more competition but still managed to qualify with ease. She finished third in her heat with a time of 54.67 seconds. The heat was won by the USA’s Anna Cockrell, who crossed the finish line in 53.91 seconds.
In addition to the Jamaicans, the competition will be fierce with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the defending champion and world record holder, who cruised to victory in the final heat with a time of 53.60 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone remains the strong favourite for the gold medal.
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