Djokovic's Golden Slam bid ends with Olympics loss to Zverev

24-year-old German comes from set down to shock top-ranked Serb 1-6, 6-3, 6-1

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) – Novak Djokovic’s bid for a Golden Slam was foiled by a surprise loss to Alexander Zverev in the tennis singles semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.

The 24-year-old German came from a set down to shock the top-ranked Serb 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 at Tokyo’s Ariake Tennis Park.

Djokovic, ranked number one in the world and a 20-time Grand Slam champion, was vying to be the first man to win all four major titles and an Olympic gold medal in the same year.

The Serb came into the Olympics having won the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon this year, and remains a favorite for the US Open, which kicks off on Aug. 30.

American tennis star Steffi Graf became the only player to achieve a Golden Slam in 1988.

Zverev’s challenger for the Olympic gold will be Karen Khachanov of the Russian Olympic Committee, who beat Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-3 on Friday to book his final berth.

Djokovic, 34, will face off with Carreno for the bronze medal.

Kaynak:

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