Djokovic vs Alcaraz Olympic final live updates

Strap in for a dose of tactical microdrama.

It’s 4-4 in the Olympic final, Djokovic serving to Alcaraz. Alcaraz’s return position is practically in the crowd, particularly on the forehand side and Djokovic is using that to serve wide into his forehand and create a huge space on the other side, into which he can hit the next ball.

Except, Alcaraz is really fast. So after two clean points won with that tactic, he doesn’t get a forehand quite deep enough, and Alcaraz hoiks it up into the air. Djokovic waits. His overhead is probably the worst part of his game. It’s flubbed, too soft, and then a poor volley and Alcaraz takes the point.

40-40. Wide serve, open court — except Djokovic hesitates, burned by the previous point, and Alcaraz lasers a backhand on to his toes.

40-40. Wide serve, open court — except Djokovic mistimes the forehand, it skips up off the tape, and Alcaraz puts it away.

Djokovic holds, eventually, but the number going up one on the scoreboard is nothing compared to what that game said about the tactical chess match going on between these two players.