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Tennis world erupts over never-before-seen moment at Olympics

Alexander Zverev (pictured right) emotional and (pictured left) collapsing to the ground after winning Olympics gold in Tokyo.
Alexander Zverev (pictured right) was emotional after winning Olympics gold in Tokyo. (Images: @MarkpalmerST/Getty Images)

Alexander Zverev has created tennis history at the Olympics and won the biggest singles title of his career after defeating Karen Khachanov in the final.

The World No.5 won the biggest title of his career on Sunday, crushing World No.25 Khachanov 6-3, 6-1 in one hour and 19 minutes in the gold medal match.

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The 24-year-old showed his steel on Friday after coming from behind to defeat World No.1 Novak Djokovic in the semi final.

That boil-over victory sabotaged the World No.1's plans to become the first man to claim all four grand slams and an Olympic title in the same year.

And he showed no signs of slowing down against the recent Wimbledon quarter-finalist after clinching Germany the gold.

Zverev's Olympics gold ensures countrywoman Steffi Graf remains the only tennis player to win the golden slam - a feat she achieved in 1988.

Zverev became the first German male to win gold at the Olympics.

It marked Zverev's 16th - and biggest - tournament victory.

Alexander Zverev emotional after Olympics gold

Zverev collapsed to his knees in tears after his win on Sunday, appearing in almost disbelief after surpassing his previous career highlights - a 2018 ATP Finals triumph and his 2020 US Open runner-up finish.

"I can't compare it because this is so much bigger than anything else in sports," he said.

"I've won the World Tour Finals but a gold medal at the Olympics, the value is incredible because you're not only playing for yourself, you're playing for your country.

"There is nothing better than this."

Zverev broke 12th seed Khachanov for the first time to lead 2-1 and always looked in control, winning seven games in a row to take the first set and lead 5-0 in the second before icing the win with his first match point.

For Germany, Zverev's win improves Tommy Haas' 2000 Sydney Games silver medal and matches Graf's 1988 singles success and compatriots Boris Becker and Michael Stich's 1992 doubles gold.

Earlier, French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova teamed up with Katerina Siniakova to add Olympic women's doubles gold to their stellar career haul.

with AAP

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