Novak Djokovic snapped his Olympic semi-final jinx with a 6-4 6-2 defeat of Italy's Lorenzo Musetti on Friday to set up a blockbuster battle for gold against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz.
The 37-year-old Serb had lost his three previous Olympic singles semifinals but was in no mood to suffer more heartache as he came through a high-quality contest at Roland Garros.
Earlier on Court Philippe Chatrier, the 21-year-old Alcaraz thrashed Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 6-1.
Djokovic needs only the Olympic gold to complete the full set of achievements in a career that has earned him 24 Grand Slam titles and the relief of reaching the final was clear as he laid on his back, arms outstretched, after match point.
"Three of the (previous) four Olympic Games I played I made semifinals but failed to overcome that hurdle," Djokovic, whose only medal was a singles bronze in 2008, told reporters.
"Just to secure a higher medal for my country, whatever happens on Sunday, is a huge pride and honour. I'm going for gold, but this is a big deal."
Novak WILL battle for gold! 🇷🇸😍@DjokerNole defeats Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-2 in #Paris2024 to reach his first Olympic tennis singles final ❗️#Olympics | #tennis pic.twitter.com/tQGg8cWiny
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 2, 2024
Djokovic lost to Rafa Nadal in the semifinal in Beijing, Andy Murray in the 2012 last four in London and in Tokyo it was Alexander Zverev who blocked his path.
Musetti, bidding to follow the Italian pair of Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani who had earlier reached the women's doubles final, played superbly but Djokovic found another gear to break serve in the 10th game and take the first set.
Djokovic, who had concerns over his strapped-up knee ahead of the match, lost his cool in the second after twice dropping his serve, and was raging after a code violation.
But he responded by knocking off five straight games to became the oldest Olympics men's singles finalist.
FORMIDABLE OBSTACLE
Second seed Alcaraz is the youngest and judging by the way he demolished Auger-Aliassime he will be a formidable obstacle.
The 21-year-old was in devastating form and needed little more than an hour to book his place in the final.
"It means a lot to me being in a final at the Olympic Games and giving myself the chance to fight for a gold medal for my country. It is a special moment for my career and my life," Alcaraz, who like Djokovic has not dropped a set, said.
"I'm really happy to bring a medal to my country, and hopefully, it's going to be the gold one."
ALCARAZ IS ON HIS WAY TO GOLD ⭐️@carlosalcaraz is now one win away to take the gold medal after defeating Auger-Aliassime 6-1 6-1 in #Paris2024 #Olympics | #tennis pic.twitter.com/Itj8QK2Miq
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 2, 2024
Auger-Aliassime was bidding to become the first Canadian to reach an Olympic singles final but was outclassed.
"Be it the forehand, the forehand inside out, the back inside, I mean, every aspect, the movement, the defence, I was dominated, there's not much more to say," the 23-year-old said.
Realistically, Sunday's final is Djokovic's last chance to scratch his Olympic itch but he said he has nothing to lose.
"Alcaraz has proved the best player in the world at the moment," he said. "He's definitely favourite, but it's the Olympics, it's anybody's game."
The first gold medal of the tennis event went to Czech pair Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machac who won the mixed doubles, beating China's Wang Xinyu and Zhang Zhizhen 6-2 5-7 10-8.
In the bronze medal playoff, Canada's Auger-Aliassime teamed up with Gabriela Dabrowski to defeat Demi Schuurs and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands.
Poland's Iga Swiatek earned some consolation for her tearful semifinal defeat on Thursday as she easily beat Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2 6-1 to win bronze.
Iga Swiatek claims bronze in the Women's Singles after a 6-1, 6-2 win over Anna Karolina 👏
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 2, 2024
It's the first Olympic medal in tennis for Poland.#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/rjXpCniN1S
"I think if I hadn't played today I would cry for a week, so I needed to get it together," the world number one said.
Swiatek's conqueror Zheng Qinwen of China plays Croatia's Donna Vekic in the women's gold medal match on Saturday.
Italy are guaranteed their first Olympic tennis medal since 1924 after Paolini and Errani eased past Czech duo Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova 6-3 6-2 to reach the doubles final.
Swiatek's conqueror Zheng Qinwen of China plays Croatia's Donna Vekic in the women's gold medal match on Saturday.
Italy are guaranteed their first Olympic tennis medal since 1924 after Paolini and Errani eased past Czech duo Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova 6-3 6-2 to reach the doubles final.
They will play Russians Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, who are competing as neutral athletes, after they crushed Spain's Cristina Bucsa and Sara Sorribes 6-1 6-2.
Unseeded Australian pair Matthew Ebden and John Peers booked their place in the men's doubles final with a 7-5 6-2 victory against Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul and will now face another US duo in Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.