RIO DE JANEIRO — Novak Djokovic, the world’s dominant tennis player, had made the Olympic gold medal in singles one of his big priorities for 2016.
He could not make it past the first round, and when it was over, both he and his conqueror, Juan Martín del Potro, were in tears in Rio de Janeiro.
Del Potro, the towering Argentine with thunder in his forehand, has had more than his share of setbacks, including multiple wrist operations that have knocked him repeatedly out of the top tier of the men’s game.
But on Sunday night, in a raucous atmosphere on center court at the Olympic Tennis Center, he produced one of the most remarkable performances of his career: upsetting Djokovic, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2).