A relieved Novak Djokovic celebrated breaking his Olympic semi-final hoodoo to set up a blockbuster gold medal match against Carlos Alcaraz .
Remarkably, this was the fourth time the 37-year-old had made it this far at the Games and the first time he has come out on top, with a bronze in 2008 his only previous medal.
Now he is guaranteed to better it after defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-2, at the end of which Djokovic lay down on the clay as if he had won the title.
“It’s a huge relief because I never got to the Olympics finals, even though I played really well I thought at Olympic Games,” he said.
“Just to secure a higher medal for the first time for my country, whatever happens on Sunday, it’s huge pride and honour and happiness and that’s why I celebrated the way I did.
“Of course I’m going to go for gold on Sunday, there’s no doubt about it, but this is a big deal.”
Djokovic left Roland Garros on Thursday evening very concerned that he had sustained more damage to his right knee, which has been strapped up since he underwent surgery following a meniscus tear at the French Open.
But those fears were soon allayed and the only moments that betrayed Djokovic’s tension came early in the second set when he was briefly twice a break down, screaming at his box in frustration and earning two time violations and a warning for an audible obscenity.
He recovered impressively, winning five games in a row to finish, and now he must try to reverse the result of the Wimbledon final, where he was well beaten by Alcaraz.
“I don’t consider myself the favourite because Alcaraz has proven himself the best player in the world at the moment,” the top seed said. “But I feel like I’m a different player than I was in Wimbledon. I feel more confident about myself and my chances in the final.”
Alcaraz could not have had a more straightforward outing earlier, brushing aside Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The 21-year-old is looking to cap an incredible summer by adding gold to his French Open and Wimbledon titles and he needed just 75 minutes to ease to a 6-1 6-1 victory against the Canadian.
“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,” said Alcaraz. “It is a special moment for me in my career and my life.
“I’m going to try and enjoy this moment, but I’m really focused on playing in the final on Sunday. I’m really happy to bring a medal to my country and, hopefully, it’s going to be the gold one.”
In the women’s singles, Iga Swiatek picked herself up following the disappointment of missing out on gold to claim the bronze medal.
The world number one suffered her first defeat in 26 matches at Roland Garros on Thursday to China’s Zheng Qinwen and broke down in tears afterwards during a TV interview.
But she ensured she will go home with something after easing to a 6-2 6-1 victory over Slovakia’s Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova.
Swiatek, whose father was an Olympic rower, said: “I think, had I not played today, I would be crying for a week. I cried for about six hours yesterday, so it was really tough.
“It’s sport, it’s tennis, usually I am good to understand it’s just one part of my life, but this time it was like someone really broke my heart. It’s crazy.
“Maybe because I am world number one for such a long time and won so many tournaments, I felt like I can handle everything. But this tournament showed me it is not the case.”
There is guaranteed to be a medal for two young Russian athletes in the women’s doubles after Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider won their semi-final. They will take on Italian duo Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini for the gold medal.
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