It was not to be. Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3) and 7-6(2) in 2h 50m in an almost epic battle in the final of the Roland Garros Games. The match was very close, but despite the efforts of the Murcian to have fought for the gold, Djokovic took the victory in two very tight sets (7-6 (7/3) and 7-6 (7/2)) to leave the Murcian with the silver.
The Murcia native thus certified the eighth medal for the Spanish delegation at the Olympic Games and the second for Spanish tennis in the Parisian capital after the bronze hours before won by Sara Sorribes and Cristina Bucsa, but he could not emulate Rafa Nadal and his feat of 2008 when he was champion in Beijing after having won Roland Garros and Wimbledon. An Olympic event that Alcaraz has experienced with great pride – “There is nothing as great as representing Spain,” he said – but which has meant a significant sacrifice in terms of sport and money.
A very expensive resignation
As soon as he qualified for the semi-finals of the Olympic Games, the Murcia native withdrew from the Montreal Masters. “It has been a very long season for me and due to the accumulation of matches and fatigue, I will not be able to play in Montreal this year. I was really looking forward to returning to Canada and enjoying the affection of the fans. I hope to see you all in Montreal in the coming years!” With these statements, Carlos Alcaraz confirmed what was gaining strength as the days went by during his Olympic adventure in Paris. A decision that not only makes him lose points but also money.
For winning a silver medal in the individual competitions, the Murcia native pocketed 48,000 euros, half of what he would have received if he had won the gold medal and much less than what he would have earned with a victory in Canada.
A win would have earned him 49,030 euros. A quarter-final berth would have earned him 170,000 euros, and a semi-final berth would have earned him 300,000 euros. A title win would have earned him more than a million euros as well as 1,000 ranking points.
How much money is distributed at the ATP Masters 1000 Canada 2024?
Champion → $1,049,460
Finalist → $573,090
Semi-finals → $313,395
Quarter finals → $170,940
Third round → $91,435
Second round → $49,030
First round → $27,165
Qualy final round → $13,915
Qualy first round → $7,290