PARIS — Emotional and unable to hold back tears, Carlos Alcaraz needed a moment to compose himself after losing to Novak Djokovic in the men’s tennis singles final at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
There would be no youngest-ever champion and no repeating Rafael Nadal‘s feat of winning a gold medal for Spain in his first attempt in singles.
Alcaraz settled for silver after a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) loss to Djokovic at Court Philippe Chatrier, saying the pressure of playing for his country got to him.
“I think I put more pressure on myself because I was playing for Spain, for the Spaniards,” Alcaraz said. “I felt that I let the Spanish people down by not winning the gold.”
Alcaraz, 21, said he had not felt that type of pressure in the four Grand Slam finals that he played — and won — so far in his career.
“It was a different type of pressure,” Alcaraz said. “Everyone in Spain wanted me to win the gold, and I wanted to win the gold as well.”
He said the extra pressure cost him especially in the decisive moments of the game.
“In…
