Novak Djokovic is just a match away from an Olympic gold that has remained elusive in his legendary 21-year career.
Novak Djokovic overcame a shaky start in the second set to complete its 6-4, 6-2 beating of Lorenzo Musetti to advance to his first-ever Olympic final in Paris 2024 early Saturday, Aug. 3 (Philippine time).
Djokovic, who has broken record after record to put himself in contention as the Greatest of All Time in the sport, has one huge silverware missing in his staggering collection of 98 titles – the gold at the Games.
The 37-year-old Serb put himself just a game away from snaring that, but he has Carlos Alcaraz to take care of at the other end of the court on Sunday.
[ALSO READ: Paris 2024: Nesthy Petecio moves one step closer to second Olympic medal, outclasses French foe to advance to quarterfinals]
The 21-year-old overachiever also marches into his maiden final in the quadrennial meet after shellacking Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-1, 6-1. Unlike Djokovic, however, he did it in his debut.
[RELATED STORY: Carlos Alcaraz crushes Felix Auger-Aliassime, barges into gold medal match in Paris 2024]
Djokovic pocketed the bronze in his maiden venture at the Games in Beijing in 2008, his best finish so far.
He is assured to better that with at least a silver medal awaiting him. But tennis followers know that Djokovic is aiming for more than that as he also has a shot at a Career Golden Slam where a player wins all four Grand Slams plus an Olympic gold, all in singles.
Djokovic could become just the fifth player, man or women, to achieve that feat.
[ALSO READ: World No. 1 Iga Swiatek claims bronze, makes history for Poland in Paris 2024]
To get there, Djokovic had to first get past semifinal foe Musetti, who actually boasts of a solitary win against the Serb in the clay courts of Monte Carlo last year.
While Djokovic won the other six, Musetti actually pushed the Serb to five set battles in just the two times they squared off in Roland Garros. Though it ended up in retirement for the Italian in the fourth round in 2021 and a bagel in the third round last June, both in the fifth.
[WATCH: Fil-Am Jarod Hatch pulls through in his Olympic debut in the men's 100-meter butterfly | Paris 2024 Highlights]
Musetti kept in step with Djokovic in the first set, with the match remaining on serve majority of the way until the Serb made his decisive move in the tenth game to break and take the set.
It was a tight battle at the start of the second, with both players trading two breaks of serve. But Djokovic decided it was enough and went on to win the next four games.