"Carlos Alcaraz is always kicking Novak Djokovic's a**" - Legendary boxer Mike Tyson says he didn't believe Serb could beat Spaniard at Paris Olympics
Boxing legend Mike Tyson said he didn’t think Novak Djokovic could defeat Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 Paris Olympics final. The American is a long-time tennis fan and shares a strong connection with the Serb.
Heading into the gold medal match in Paris earlier in the month, Djokovic wasn’t favored to win. He was grappling with a knee injury and hadn’t secured a title all season. Meanwhile, his opponent, Alcaraz, was the clear favorite, thanks to his red-hot form.
However, the 24-time Grand Slam champion defied the odds, defeating the Spaniard 7-6(3), 7-6(2) to take home the gold. The victory marked his second Olympic medal, having previously won bronze in Beijing 2008.
Mike Tyson appeared on the latest episode of Logan Paul's 'Impaulsive' podcast and revealed that he has been closely following tennis lately, with Novak Djokovic being his favorite. Tyson then discussed how he saw Carlos Alcaraz as a major threat to the Belgrade native, especially in the Paris Olympics, adding:
“Djokovic, Djokovic is the man," Tyson said (at 33:05). "Listen, I didn’t think Djokovic was going to beat him [at the Olympics]. He’s always kicking Djokovic’s a**. It makes me so f***ing mad."
Tyson's daughter Milan shares her father's passion for tennis and plays the sport herself, idolizing the legendary Serena Williams. The 16-year-old even had the opportunity to practice with Djokovic when she was nine, during a visit to Indian Wells.
Novak Djokovic on winning gold at Paris Olympics 2024: "This supersedes everything I’ve ever felt on tennis court"
Novak Djokovic spoke with the media after winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a victory over Carlos Alcaraz in the final. The Serb expressed that he couldn’t be "prouder and happier" to join an elite group of athletes who have achieved such a feat for their countries.
"I couldn’t be prouder and happier," Djokovic said. "Playing for Serbia has always been my utmost, real pleasure, my priority … I’m just so proud to be a part of an elite number of athletes that managed to win gold for their countries in their respective sports."
The 37-year-old added:
"I was so blessed to win everything pretty much there is to win in my sport, but this is something different. This supersedes everything that I’ve ever felt on the tennis court after winning big trophies. It’s just incredible joy."
Djokovic and Alcaraz will now shift their focus to the US Open, which runs from August 26 to September 8. The former is the defending champion, while the latter secured his maiden Grand Slam title at the tournament in 2022.