Tennis shifts from the Olympics to the US Open after golds for Novak Djokovic and Zheng Qinwen

PARIS (AP) — Hours after he knelt on the red clay, after his body shook as he cried, after he finally got to kiss an Olympic gold medal won for Serbia, Novak Djokovic was asked whether he can consider his tennis career complete.

He already had 24 Grand Slam trophies, after all, putting him ahead of rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer — and every other man who's played the game. He already had a record 400-plus weeks ranked No. 1. And now, at age 37, he collected the gold he desperately wanted, something Nadal (in singles in 2008 and doubles in 2016) and Federer (in doubles in 2008) had but Djokovic did not until Sunday's 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) victory over Carlos Alcaraz.

“Yes and no,” is how Djokovic's answer began. “Yes, it's complete, because I completed all the achievements with this gold medal. But no, because I love this sport. I don’t play it only to win the tournament — I play it because I really love competition. I love the drive, every day, every week, of training my body, perfecting my game, proving myself, still at this age.”

It is surely a mistake to view every step Djokovic takes, every prize he wins, as a statement in the ongoing and unnecessary conversation about which member of the Big Three of men's tennis is the best of the bunch. Still, those debates carry on.

Who can possibly say what comes next for Djokovic — or Nadal or Alcaraz or women's singles gold medalist Zheng Qinwen of China or No. 1 Iga Swiatek, for that matter. With the U.S. Open starting in three weeks, and the need to shift from the clay at Roland Garros to the hard courts at Flushing Meadows, there's not much time for rest or reflection.

“I don’t know about the future, to be honest. I really want ... a moment to celebrate,” Djokovic said. “It was a long journey. ”

Still just 21, the same age as Alcaraz, Zheng became the first player from China to win an Olympic tennis singles gold.

Her run to the Australian Open final in January marked her as someone to watch. So did her rise into the top 10. This will make her a big star at home and, if she stays on this trajectory, there should be more to come.

Swiatek is just 23. Reigning U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff is 20. Add Zheng to the youth movement.

Her strokes were always there, and now her mind is, too, she says. Zheng showed patience and toughness while ending Swiatek's 25-match winning streak at Roland Garros, eliminating her in the semifinals.

After defeating Donna Vekic in the final Saturday, Zheng said she thinks she'll play more relaxed now that she's an Olympic champion. If so, look out.

“I still have a long way to go,” she said, "because winning a Grand Slam is always my dream.”

Nadal is 38 and lost to Djokovic in the second round of singles play, after bowing out in the first round of this year's French Open, where he has won 14 of his 22 major titles. Nadal and Alcaraz generated a ton of buzz as an old-and-young doubles team before losing in the quarterfinals.

After that defeat, Nadal was asked about playing in New York — he was on the entry list released last month — and paused for a while before responding.

“Looks like not. But I'm going to let you know soon," Nadal said. "For me, now, I can’t give you a clear answer. I need some time, but for me, (it) looks difficult.”

The trip to the U.S. Open for Gauff will mark the one-year anniversary of a big occasion: She won her first Grand Slam title there in 2023.

It will be her first defense of a major championship, although she insists she does not see it as a “defense,” just an opportunity.

Gauff often speaks about taking lessons away from losses. It should be fascinating to watch her at Flushing Meadows after her Olympics experience, which included joining LeBron James as a U.S. flag bearer at the opening ceremony along the Seine River, an impromptu breakfast with Noah Lyles just days before he wound up winning the 100-meter dash at the track — and early exits in singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.

“I’ll try to take the positive out of it," Gauff said, "and do better next time.”

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Coco Gauff of United States cries after arguing with the umpires during her women's singles third round match against Donna Vekic of Croatia, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Rafael Nadal, left, and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain react during their match against Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram of the USA during the men's doubles quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Iga Swiatek of Poland prepares to serve against Qinwen Zheng of China during their women's semifinals match at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

China's Zheng Qinwen holds her national flag after defeating Croatia's Donna Vekic during the Women's Singles tennis final at the Roland Garros stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Serbia's Novak Djokovic kisses his gold medal after defeating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during the men's singles tennis final at the Roland Garros stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. Djokovic has won his first Olympic gold medal by beating Alcaraz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) in the 2024 Games men's tennis singles final. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy" Combs faces federal charges in New York, his lawyer said late Monday.

Details of the charges weren't immediately announced by prosecutors, but Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, issued a statement saying: “We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

He added that Combs had gone to New York last week in anticipation of the charges being brought.

“He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal,” Agnifilo said.

Criminal charges would be a major but not unexpected takedown of one of the most prominent producers and most famous names in the history of hip-hop.

The federal investigation of the 58-year-old Combs was revealed when Homeland Security Investigations agents served simultaneous search warrants and raided Combs' mansions in Los Angeles and Miami on March 25.

His defense attorney Aaron Dyer the day after the raids called them “a gross use of military-level force,” said the allegations were “meritless,” and said Combs was “innocent and will continue to fight" to clear his name.

Combs, then known as Puff Daddy, was at the center of the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop battles of the 1990s as the partner and producer of the Notorious B.I.G., who was shot and killed in 1997. But like many of those who survived the era, his public image had softened with age into a genteel host of parties in Hollywood and the Hamptons, a fashion-forward businessman, and a doting father who spoiled his kids, some of whom lost their mother in 2018.

But a different image began emerging in November, when his former protege and girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, became the first of several people to sue him for sexual abuse with stories of a steady stream of sex workers in drug-fueled settings where some of those involved were coerced or cajoled into sex.

In her November lawsuit, Cassie alleged years of abuse, including beatings and rape. Her suit also alleged Combs engaged in sex trafficking by “requiring her to engage in forced sexual acts in multiple jurisdictions” and by engaging in “harboring and transportation of Plaintiff for purposes of sex induced by force, fraud, or coercion.” It also said he compelled her to help him traffic male sex workers Combs would force Cassie to have sex with while he filmed.

The suit was settled settled the following day, but its reverberations would last far longer. Combs lost lingering allies, supporters and those reserving judgment when CNN in May aired a leaked video of him punching Cassie, kicking her and throwing her on the floor in a hotel hallway.

The following day, in his first real acknowledgement of wrongdoing since the stream of allegations began, Combs posted a social media video apologizing, saying “I was disgusted when I did it” and “I’m disgusted now.” Cassie’s lawsuit was followed by at least a half-dozen others in the ensuing months.

In February, a music producer filed a lawsuit alleging Combs coerced him to solicit prostitutes and pressured him to have sex with them.

Another of Combs’ accusers was a woman who said the rap producer raped her two decades ago when she was 17.

Another woman who filed a lawsuit, April Lampos, said she was a college student in 1994 when she met Combs and a series of “terrifying sexual encounters” with Combs and those around him began that lasted for years.

Combs and his attorneys denied nearly all of the lawsuits’ allegations.

While authorities did not publicly say that the lawsuits set off the criminal investigation, Dyer said when the warrants were served that the case was based on “meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”

The AP does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly as Cassie and Lampros did.

As the founder of Bad Boy Records, Combs became one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the past three decades Along with the Notorious B.I.G. he worked with a slew of top-tier artists including Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and 112.

Combs’ roles in his businesses beyond music — including lucrative private-label spirits, a media company and the Sean John Fashion line — took major hits when the allegations arose.

The consequences were even greater when the leaked beating video emerged. Howard University cut ties with him, and he returned his key to the city of New York at the request of the mayor.

FILE - Sean "Diddy" Combs arrives at the LA Premiere of "The Four: Battle For Stardom" at the CBS Radford Studio Center on May 30, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)