Carlos Alcaraz is relishing what will be a "special moment" in his already remarkable career as he prepares for an Olympic gold medal match. (Medal Table | Schedule & Results | Full Coverage)
Alcaraz defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 6-1 on Friday to take his place in the final of the men's singles, which will take place at Roland-Garros on Sunday
Carlos Alcaraz is relishing what will be a "special moment" in his already remarkable career as he prepares for an Olympic gold medal match. (Medal Table | Schedule & Results | Full Coverage)
Alcaraz defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 6-1 on Friday to take his place in the final of the men's singles, which will take place at Roland-Garros on Sunday.
And standing in the way of the Spaniard, who won the French Open earlier this year, and a gold medal is 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic.
Like Alcaraz, the 37-year-old Djokovic is into his maiden final at the Games, having previously claimed bronze in 2008.
Alcaraz, who beat Djokovic in the final of Wimbledon in July, would be the youngest-ever champion of the men's singles should he triumph. He is the second-youngest male to have made it into a singles final at the Games, after Robert LeRoy in 1904.
"It's going to be a really special moment for me, in my life, in my career, so I'm going to try and enjoy this moment, because it’s going to be really difficult," Alcaraz said.
"It's going to be difficult, but it’s going to be special.
"I will try to be focused on myself and try not to hear all this, all the fans, all the people that say 'I'm going to win'.
"I just want to give 100% my best tennis and hopefully I reach my goal to get the gold."
Auger-Aliassime, meanwhile, conceded he was simply second best.
He said: "I just couldn't find a way to be comfortable in any pattern, any position.
"Whether it was trying to dominate the forehand cross-court or change of direction, the forehand inside-out, the backhand side.
"Every aspect. The movement. The defence. I was dominated.
"He's improved a lot, every time we've played. I don't have the solutions right now."
Auger-Aliassime swiftly shrugged off his disappointment by winning the bronze medal match alongside Gabriela Dabrowski in the mixed doubles.
Their success against Dutch pair Wesley Koolhof and Demi Schuurs marked Canada's first medal in the mixed doubles.