Novak Djokovic’s bid for a calendar Golden Grand Slam was dramatically ended by Alexander Zverev in the Olympics men’s singles semifinals on Friday.
Later, top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic beat fellow Croatians Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig in a deciding tie-break to win the men’s doubles title.
Mektic and Pavic took the honours with a 6-4, 3-6, [10-6] victory.
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The World No. 1 collapsed from a set and a break ahead as German fourth seed Zverev won 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 to set up a final against Russian Karen Khachanov on Sunday.
The 34-year-old Djokovic has never won the Olympic singles title.
But his attempt to make history came to a close as Zverev powered 30 winners past the usually impregnable Djokovic.
It was yet more heartbreak for the 20-time Grand Slam champion at the Olympics, where his best result is a bronze in 2008.
Zverev is looking to become the first German to win singles gold since Graf in Seoul after winning 10 of the last 11 games against Djokovic.
Djokovic can still win multiple medals, with the bronze-medal match against Pablo Carreno Busta to come on Saturday after his mixed doubles semifinal with Nina Stojanovic against Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev later Friday.
Khachanov, meanwhile, produced an impressive display to dispatch Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-3.
Khachanov is bidding to become the first Russian champion in the men’s singles since Yevgeny Kafelnikov struck gold in Sydney 21 years ago.
Women’s World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty’s third and final attempt to win a gold was ended after defeat alongside John Peers in the mixed doubles semifinals against Russians Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Andrey Rublev.
