Zverev upsets Djokovic in semis to end Serb's 'Golden Slam' bid

There will be no 'Golden Slam' for world No.1 Novak Djokovic.

The top-ranked tennis player from Serbia was stunned in the men's tennis singles semi-finals on Friday (30 July) at Tokyo 2020, falling to No.4 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany 1-6 6-3 6-1.

Djokovic was chasing the 'Golden Slam' - winning all four majors and Olympic gold in one year - having captured the first three majors of the 2021 season.

He'll now play for bronze on the weekend. His best Olympic result was previously bronze - at Beijing 2008.

Zverev will face No.12 Karen Khachanov of the ROC in the men's final after Khachanov beat Pablo Carreno Busta in the other semi.

Djokovic will play for bronze in the mixed doubles, as well. He and Nina Stojanovic fell in the semi-finals Friday night to ROC's Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev.

"It's incredible beating the best player in the world undoubtedly right now and in this season," Zverev said after the match. "It seemed it was impossible to beat him at this event, so I’m very happy right now. But yet there's still one match to go."

Djokovic was disappointed after a tough day of two losses: "Tough day, a really tough day. I feel so terrible right now," he said. "I was leading a set then a break and he managed to turn the match around, he served huge, was attacking, and I was not getting any free points on my first serves.

“To play someone of his quality, of his level, it's just too tough to win a match (like that).”

Zverev rallies vs. 'greatest of all time'

Djokovic was in control of this match at the Ariake Tennis Park's Centre Court, leading by a set and 3-2 before the tables turned. Zverev won 10 of the final 11 games played as Djokovic struggled to find his form, the German running away with the final set, 6-1.

Djokovic won just 56 percent of points on first serve as Zverev hit 36 winners from the backcourt to just 13 from the world No.1. Djokovic hit an uncharacteristic 16 unforced errors to the German's 14.

Zverev credited a more aggressive approach for turning the match around.

"At some point, I was down a set to break, so I needed to change something," he said. "I started playing much more aggressive, I started to swing through the ball a little bit more, and yeah, I tried to dominate that way."

The two embraced at the net, exchanging words.

"I told him that he's the greatest of all time," Zverev said he said to Djokovic. "I know that he was chasing history, is chasing the Golden Slam and was chasing the Olympics, but in these kind of moments me and Novak are very close.