OLYMPIC GAMES
What century-old record did Carlos Alcaraz break at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Regardless of how Sunday’s gold medal game turns out, the Spaniard has already made history at the 2024 Olympic Games. And he has the chance to make more.
What has already been an extraordinary summer for Carlos Alcaraz just got even better. The Spanish tennis player defeated Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-1 today to become the first player to advance to the gold medal match at Paris 2024. It means that, whatever the outcome from now on, he is guaranteed a medal at his first Olympics.
That will make up for bowing out of the men’s doubles earlier this week - Alcaraz accompanied Spanish legend Rafa Nadal in a pairing dubbed Nadalcaraz. The Spaniard pair made it through the first two rounds but their run ended on Wednesday when they lost the quarter final to US team Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram (2-6 4-6).
Alcaraz makes history at Paris 2024
And as an added bonus, Alcaraz’s victory against Auger-Aliassime also places him in the history books. He is now the the youngest player to reach a men’s Olympic tennis final. The previous record was held by American Vincent Richards, who reached the men’s singles final in Paris a century ago. Richards was ranked No.2 in the world when he defeated Henri Cochet 6-4 6-4 4-6 5-7 6-2 in the gold medal match on 20 July 1924.
Born in March 1903, Richards was 21 years and 122 days when he secured a place in the men’s singles final while Alcaraz has done it aged 21 years and 87 days.
And there could be more history made if Charly wins Sunday’s final at Roland-Garros. Having won the French Open in June (beating Alexander Zverev) then winning Wimbledon last month, Alcaraz has the chance to become just the second player to win all three tournaments in the same year. So far, only Rafa Nadal has achieved the feat - he did it in 2008, beating Roger Federer in Paris and London, then Chile’s Fernando González to clinch gold at Beijing 2008.
Alcaraz will be awaiting the outcome of today’s other semi-final - he will face the winner of the game between Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti. “A medal! That means everything to me but we’ve still got Sunday to go!”, Alcaraz posted on social media.
The men’s singles final will be played on Sunday 4 August, the first of three medal games to be played on Court Philippe-Chatrier starting at 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT.