It has been nearly a month since Carlos Alcaraz lost out on winning Olympic gold to Novak Djokovic, but former French Open champion Adriano Panatta expects that moment to affect the Spaniard for a long time.
Alcaraz was the most in-form player in the world heading into the Olympics. He won the French Open and Wimbledon, including a comfortable straight-sets triumph against Novak Djokovic at SW19.
Tennis at the Olympics was held at Roland-Garros, where Alcaraz secured his French Open title. That made the 21-year-old a significant favorite in the eyes of many fans and analysts.
Alcaraz dealt with those expectations well during his victories to make the final. His overall level was better than Djokovic's heading into the final, and it seemed like the Serbian had his work cut out to claim the gold medal that had eluded him for several years.
However, Djokovic delivered an incredible serving performance to overcome Alcaraz 7-6, 7-6 in a very tight battle. Alcaraz had chances throughout the match, but his 37-year-old opponent was stronger in the big moments.
The Spaniard could not hide his emotions immediately after that brutal loss. Alcaraz cried in an interview with his compatriot Alex Corretja, showing that it was the most challenging moment of his career.
His form since that moment has nosedived. Alcaraz lost at the Cincinnati Open in three sets against Gael Monfils. That surprising setback included the four-time Grand Slam champion smashing his racket, which stunned the fans inside the stadium.
An even bigger shock followed at the US Open. The former world No. 1 suffered one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slam history by losing in straight sets to Botic van de Zandschulp. It was one of the worst performances of Alcaraz's professional career.
Some wonder whether Alcaraz's Olympic defeat is still weighing on his mind, causing his poor recent displays by his standards. Since falling to Djokovic in Paris, he has not looked as energetic or focused on the court.
1976 French Open champion Panatta is one of those who believes Alcaraz's defeat in the Olympic gold medal match is impacting him. In fact, the Italian told Domenica Sportiva that setback could affect him for an extended period.
"I think Carlos will be stuck with the loss to Djokovic for a long time. In tennis you are only on the court, in football you can also not play if you are not well, or there are friends who pull you up."
"This thing marked him, as it marked Djokovic from the nervous point of view. He made a superhuman effort to win that final and will need time to recover."
Panatta is right that Djokovic made a superhuman effort to defeat Alcaraz while in great form. But that will not be of any comfort to the 21-year-old. How tough that moment was for him remains the same.
The remainder of the season will show whether Panatta is right about the effect of the Olympic defeat staying with Alcaraz for a long time. Alcaraz can still end the year as the world No. 1 if he finishes the season well, which could refocus him.
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